Campaign to reduce traffic on 'dangerous' Darlington street (From The Advertiser Series)

Campaign to reduce traffic on 'dangerous' Darlington street

12:22pm Friday 21st December 2012 in News By Hannah Bryan, Reporter (Darlington)

A CAMPAIGN has been launched to reduce the number of vehicles using a Darlington street over fears it is a "death waiting to happen".

Robin Snowden, who lives in Stanhope Road North, is leading the efforts to try to reduce the amount of traffic using the street throughout the day.

A two week survey carried out in September by Darlington Borough Council highways department found an average of 6,753 vehicles per day use both Stanhope Road North and South – a figure which Mr Snowden believes is too high.

The 62-year-old said: “There are more vehicles using Stanhope Road than there are using the Darlington to Northallerton road at Croft. That is a main road; ours is not and is not built for that amount of traffic.

“There are parked cars lining the road on either side and lorries try to negotiate their way through on a daily basis.

“I have said it is serious and is a death waiting to happen.”

Mr Snowden is asking the council to consider ways of reducing the amount of traffic using the road, as commuters often use the street to cut between Coniscliffe Road and Woodland Road.

“If anybody came and looked out of my front window and saw the amount of traffic that goes past they’d be shocked,” he said.

“There is a car going past roughly every five to six seconds between 6pm and 8.30pm. I want to make it safer for everyone round here, as it is impossible to cross the road safely.”

A council spokesperson said the amount of traffic using the road is in line with other important links between main roads in and out of the town centre.

“We do not propose to carry out any works that will reduce the effectiveness of the road as a through route,” they said.

“To do so would cause congestion elsewhere and create issues for the residents of nearby roads. We can look at further waiting restrictions but this may affect residents’ parking.

“We would be happy to meet with Mr Snowden but do feel that we have addressed his concerns in our communications with him so far.”