NEW signs to deter speeding in Middleton-in-Teesdale have been put to the bottom of the to-do list by parish councillors.
Speeding on the approach to the village has been discussed by Middleton-in-Teesdale and Newbiggin Parish Council for a number of months.
Durham Police suggested last year that the 40mph limit should be moved to the top of the bank and the 30mph limit should be pushed to the bottom of the hill on the B6282.
Figures from Durham County Council a couple of years ago revealed motorists driving down the stretch were clocked at an average of 34.8mph with 15 per cent travelling at or faster than 40.9mph.
Parish councillors said they believe that such speeds do not warrant the need to spend thousands of pounds on new signage.
Following a site meeting in December attended by county officials, it was confirmed that a 40mph buffer zone on the B6282 Laneside and the B6277 Alston Road could set the parish council back more than £12,000.
Speaking at the parish council’s February meeting, parish clerk Judith Mashiter said: “When we met in early December the officer responsible said he would put in writing what the cost was.
“It is in the region of £7,000 per location.
“If we had both ends of the village done at the same time it might be £12,500.
“As councillors you decided that is not a project that you wanted to fund.”
Cllr Christine Gilbert said: “I don’t think it is a £12,500 problem.”
Councillors had suggested alternating the location of the existing flashing speed sign which is often on Alston Road.
Another metal post would need to be installed but the recent meeting heard that the new post would be too costly.
Cllr Sue Bainbridge said: “We could get someone to make us a police scarecrow because they work.”
Chairman Cllr Adam Hearn said: “You can buy plastic children that you can put by the side of the road to make people slow down. That is another option.”
Councillors present agreed that no further action would be taken.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
