PEOPLE in Startforth fear a massive increase in traffic through their village if current proposals for dualling the A66 between Cross Lanes and Rokeby go ahead.
Highways England say HGVs driving from Scotch Corner on the A66 will use a new junction system at the Rokeby turn-off to get to Barnard Castle.
Smaller vehicles travelling west on the A66 will use the Cross Lanes junction and travel through Startforth.
One angry resident said heavy traffic would come around three blind bends while travelling the route from Cross Lanes.
She added: “There is no adequate pavement – at one point the pavement is less than half a metre wide and it is impossible to walk safely both for individual pedestrians but particularly for anyone with a disability.
“It is impossible to push a child’s buggy or a wheelchair without walking in the road at its narrowest point which has blind bends in each direction.”
Highways England says a new junction is planned for the newly realigned A66 at Rokeby, near the church.
This junction will allow vehicles from both directions to access the de-trunked former A66 and from there reach the Rokeby junction and carry on to Barnard Castle using Abbey Bridge.
A spokesperson said: “HGV vehicles travelling west from Scotch Corner would utilise the (new) junction to the west of the Old Rectory and turn back along the old A66 before taking a left turn into the junction for Barnard Castle. Non-HGV traffic would use the B6277 from a junction close to Cross Lanes Farm.”
But county councillor Richard Bell says it’s still not clear exactly how the system will work. He has called on county highways officers to look into the issue.
He said: “It seems like a dog’s breakfast. I imagine once word gets out there will be quite a groundswell against the proposal.”
He warned an additional problem could be quarry lorries from the upper dale taking the route south of the River Tees, through Mickleton, Romaldkirk, Cotherstone and Lartington, to avoid using County Bridge to get to the A66. Cllr Bell urged people affected to email the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine Project Team by the email A66NTP@highwaysengland.co.uk.
Highways England said the proposals are still subject to further consultation.
