A TROUBLESOME city centre previously likened to the Wild West by police feels much safer thanks to the overnight weekend closure of a main thoroughfare, the authorities say.

Growing anger over late-night noise and disturbance from drinkers leaving the bars and clubs of Walkergate, in Durham City, and looking for taxis on nearby Claypath led to Durham Police branding the area “like the Wild West” last month (November).

It also prompted the police and Durham County Council to introduce a trial closure of lower Claypath.

The pilot scheme came into force on Friday, December 5, and the police and council have hailed it as an immediate success.

Dave Coxon, Durham Police’s neighbourhood inspector for Durham City, said although revellers coming into Durham for the first time since the scheme began over Christmas had been a challenge, it was helping.

“The taxi situation is going really well,” he said.

“People are starting to get used to the idea.

“The feedback we’ve had from local residents is they feel a lot safer. For people using the area it feels safer and my officers feel it’s a lot safer.

“We haven’t had many congestion problems, apart from for a very short time, and there have been no incidents due to the closure.”

Dave Wafer, the council’s strategic traffic manager, thanked everyone involved for ensuring a successful start to the scheme.

“Whilst the traffic order has only recently been introduced, the feedback from businesses, residents and the licensed trade is that it is already having a positive effect.

“December is a particularly busy period for the night time economy so we’d like to thank everyone for playing their part in ensuring its success.”

All vehicles except buses and permit holders living or working in the closure area are banned from entering Claypath between Millennium Place and Providence Row between 9pm and 4am on Fridays and Saturdays, plus Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Permits are available from the council’s customer access point on Millennium Place.

Drivers without permits attempting to ignore the closure could be prosecuted and end up with penalty points on their licence.

The Experimental Traffic Regulation Order could run for up to 18 months before the authorities decide whether to make it permanent.