Plans for 20mph limit and more traffic lights on A67 through Barnard Castle

PROPOSALS to “improve road safety” on the A67 through Teesdale are to go on show to the public.

Durham County Council is proposing a series of measures on the road between Bowes and Barnard Castle, including the town centre.

Members of the public are being invited to view the plans at two events in the coming weeks.

The council is proposing to introduce a series of measures along the rural section of the A67 including enhanced road markings and signs.

On the approach to Barnard Castle, new prominent speed limit signs, road markings, traffic islands and landscaping are being suggested to let drivers know they are moving from a national speed limit to a 40mph, and then 30mph, limit.

In the town centre, a 20mph speed limit is proposed to be rolled out along with new and upgraded pedestrian islands, together with traffic lights at the Harmire Road junction.

The work is subject to the success of a bid the council has submitted for money through the Department for Transport’s £175million Safer Roads Fund.

The department sought bids from local authorities which have been assessed as having one of the country’s 50 highest risk sections of road.

The council applied for £528,000 for the stretch of the A67 and is hoping to find out if its bid has been successful early in the New Year.

Plans showing the proposed measures will be available for the public to view at drop-in sessions on Wednesday, October 18, and Monday, October 23.

These will take place in the Dawson Room at Barnard Castle Town Council Offices at Scar Top each day from noon to 6pm.

Council staff will be on hand to talk through the proposals. Adrian White, the council’s head of transport and contract services, said: “We take road safety extremely seriously and the three serious accident casualties which were recorded on this stretch of the A67 is three too many.

“That is why we have drawn up these proposals which we believe would greatly improve safety on this section of road.

“We are looking forward to sharing our plans with local residents in the coming weeks and to finding out whether our bid to the Safer Roads Fund has been successful.”