A proposal to introduce parking restrictions in an upper dale village has been met with strong opposition from residents.
Double yellow lines have been earmarked for Town Head, in Middleton-in-Teesdale, where it joins the B6277 through the village.
Durham County Council issued a statutory notice last month for a proposed traffic order, which will introduce a prohibition of waiting at any time from 54 to 64 Market Place. However, villagers believe the order would cause further problems.
The issue was raised at the Middleton-in-Teesdale and Newbiggin Parish Council’s annual parish meeting last Tuesday (April 18).
Jonathan and Sara Carr, of D S & O Carr & Son funeral directors, voiced concerns surrounding potential difficulties on funeral days.
Mr Carr said: “When I first saw the plans I did not disagree but I think people will just park on the other side on the higher kerb so they will stick out even further.
“The distance of the lines is irrespective because unless there are double yellows on both sides people will just park on the other side. What if we have a funeral with a hearse and a car?”
It was suggested that an exemption could be sought for such circumstances but that it would only cover a hearse and official funerals cars and not people attending a funeral in their own vehicles.
Mr Carr said: “If the family don’t want to go through with the expense of getting one or two funeral cars then do they risk getting a parking ticket in their own cars?”
Cllr Wendy Greenfield said: “This is a day-to-day problem that we asked Durham County Council to sort out. Funerals are not day-to-day events. Until we see what happens, I don’t think we are in a strong position to ask them to do anymore.”
Councillors suggested that Mr Carr should ask Durham County Council’s highways department for black traffic cones which could be placed outside the church prior to a funeral.
Vice chairman Cllr John Lawson said: “Parking is a big problem in the village and it is getting worse. It has been Durham County Council who has been dealing with this.”
Cllr Greenfield added: “Parking is an issue and it is something that the council is aware of and we are trying to find ways of sorting it out. “
It was agreed that the parish council would wait to see what happened next before contacting Durham County Council again.
Residents also voiced their concerns on social media.
One person wrote: “The most sensible route to solving the problem of people parking on the pavements is surely to provide more parking spaces. Maybe money would be better spent buying some land and creating a car park.”
Another added: “Pity the poor bride trying to get married or the funeral directors trying to do their jobs.”
The deadline for formal objections was last Thursday (April 20). Durham County Council’s strategic traffic manager Dave Wafer said: “An informal consultation was held in October which helped to gauge public response and refine the proposals which have been subject to the recent legal order.
“We have received one email objecting to the proposals and if the issues raised cannot be resolved they will be considered by a future meeting of the council’s highways committee likely to be in June or July.”
Tuesday, 2 May 2017
Andy Beck's fundraising talk will paint a unique picture of The Lakes
A TEESDALE artist will give an illustrated talk about his labour of love next month.
For the past ten years, Andy Beck has been completing a unique project on the Lake District fells – resulting in the production of a 360-page limited edition book, The Wainwrights in Colour.
His task has been to find and locate every single location that master fell walker Alfred Wainwright visited to take his photographs for his pen and ink illustrations for his seven Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells.
The drawings by Wainwright were produced in the 1950s and 1960s so Andy’s detailed watercolour sketches not only add colour to these scenes but also record the changes in the landscape over the past 50 years.
Obtaining every one of these 1,500 references has meant that Mr Beck has had to become acquainted with the fells in a more intimate way than most regular walkers.
The weather, light and conditions have all played a major part in this challenge. Mr Beck, from Bowes, said: “I spent long days out on the fells covering miles of rough terrain to quiet nights wild-camping on the mountain tops under a star filled sky.
“The evening’s talk contains the interesting, funny and moving anecdotes that explain the trials and tribulations of this ten-year journey”.
Entrance to the illustrated talk in Bowes Village Hall on Friday, May 12, will be £5, or £2 for students, payable on the door.
Mr Beck is running the event as a fundraiser for Bowes Carnival.
Rosie Bettison, who is helping to organise the evening, said: “We are thrilled that Andy is presenting his story in the village hall. It’s an inspired and inspirational project – and I can’t wait to see the book.”
The event starts at 7.30pm. Door and bar will be open from 7pm. Those wishing to make a reservation for the event may phone Rosie or Mike Bettison on 01833 628343.
His task has been to find and locate every single location that master fell walker Alfred Wainwright visited to take his photographs for his pen and ink illustrations for his seven Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells.
The drawings by Wainwright were produced in the 1950s and 1960s so Andy’s detailed watercolour sketches not only add colour to these scenes but also record the changes in the landscape over the past 50 years.
Obtaining every one of these 1,500 references has meant that Mr Beck has had to become acquainted with the fells in a more intimate way than most regular walkers.
The weather, light and conditions have all played a major part in this challenge. Mr Beck, from Bowes, said: “I spent long days out on the fells covering miles of rough terrain to quiet nights wild-camping on the mountain tops under a star filled sky.
“The evening’s talk contains the interesting, funny and moving anecdotes that explain the trials and tribulations of this ten-year journey”.
Entrance to the illustrated talk in Bowes Village Hall on Friday, May 12, will be £5, or £2 for students, payable on the door.
Mr Beck is running the event as a fundraiser for Bowes Carnival.
Rosie Bettison, who is helping to organise the evening, said: “We are thrilled that Andy is presenting his story in the village hall. It’s an inspired and inspirational project – and I can’t wait to see the book.”
The event starts at 7.30pm. Door and bar will be open from 7pm. Those wishing to make a reservation for the event may phone Rosie or Mike Bettison on 01833 628343.
Monday, 1 May 2017
Animal centre relaunches with vision to expand
Kevin Plummer ran Kays Hill Animal Sanctuary, near West Auckland, for a number of years while living with a long term illness.
There were fears the centre would close due to Mr Plummer’s health – leaving some of its 300 animals facing an uncertain fate.
But those worries have been quelled with the 52-year-old passing on the baton to his son, Colin, who has already made his presence felt at the renamed Bildershaw Animal Sanctuary.
The 30-year-old, from Spennymoor, has used his expertise in the building trade to erect specialist habitats for its array of creatures and hopes to carry on where his father left off.
“I’m pretty much carrying on what he did while expanding at the same time,” he said.
“There’s a lot of work to do before we get to that point.”
Mr Plummer jnr has long-term ambitions of opening up the centre, off the A68, to the public and creating an online pet shop for supplies.
However, he said the day-to-day running and maintenance of the sanctuary is the main priority for the moment.
He added: “Some of the staff and volunteers have been here quite a long time – they are very supportive and they know the history of the animals.
“It’s like the Forth Road Bridge – the work is never done.”
After four years in the Household Cavalry regiment and a spell as a bookmaker, Mr Plummer jnr was about to open his own shed building business before his full-time return to the sanctuary.
The centre, off the A68, runs with the help of more than 30 volunteers and relies on donations for its existence.
It is also one of only six places in the UK which takes in raccoons – a creature ruled an “invasive species” by the EU.
Mr Plummer jnr added: “Every single one had to be neutered – they have grandfather rights which means they’re not allowed to reproduce. We’ve got the youngest ones in the country.”
Funding the centre is top of the agenda for all its supporters.
Bildershaw Animal Rescue Supporters (BARS) has 500-members on Facebook and a new board of trustees for the sanctuary’s charity is on its way.
Mr Plummer jnr said: “I am not doing it on my own – the charity is still going with new trustees raising funds.”
Manager Eunice Keeligan added: “We have a small team of fundraisers who do little things like auctions and raffles. They’re doing an excellent job and we’re very glad they’ve stayed with us.
“We will continue to look for ways to open ourselves up to the public more because at the of the day it’s about finding income.”
For more information about the centre, visit its new website at www.bildershaw-
animal-rescue.com or call 07496 105432.
Final phase of Staindrop playground work nears end
THE second and final phase of a £70,000 village playground development should be complete in the next two weeks.
A parent group in Staindrop has been fundraising for about six years to redevelop the playground after the previous facilities were closed due to an outbreak of vandalism.
The first phase of the new development caters for children up to the age of seven and after work is complete, children up to the age of 12 will be able to use the facility.
Workmen from Deerness Fencing and Landscape began installing the new kit last week.
New equipment includes a play tower, cargo nets and swings.
Graham Stoker, of the contracting company, said: “If everything goes to plan we should be done in the next couple of weeks.”
Parent committee member Emma Curran and her son Tom visited the site last week and were pleased to see the progress.
Ms Curran said: “I suppose there is a sense of achievement and what is really nice for me is how so many mums come up to us and say ‘yes, finally’.”
Tom, who is eight, said he was mostly looking forward to trying out the play tower which features monkey bars and a slide.
The first phase of the new development caters for children up to the age of seven and after work is complete, children up to the age of 12 will be able to use the facility.
Workmen from Deerness Fencing and Landscape began installing the new kit last week.
New equipment includes a play tower, cargo nets and swings.
Graham Stoker, of the contracting company, said: “If everything goes to plan we should be done in the next couple of weeks.”
Parent committee member Emma Curran and her son Tom visited the site last week and were pleased to see the progress.
Ms Curran said: “I suppose there is a sense of achievement and what is really nice for me is how so many mums come up to us and say ‘yes, finally’.”
Tom, who is eight, said he was mostly looking forward to trying out the play tower which features monkey bars and a slide.
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