A SAFETY check is to be carried out on a busy high street after at least four people were hit by buses in a three-month period.

Stockton Borough Council is to carry out the audit of the town's High Street in February, Stockton South MP James Wharton said.

Earlier this month, an elderly man was hit by a bus outside the Castlegate Shopping Centre, and on December 4 a 75-year-old woman suffered head and chest injuries after being knocked down by a bus.

In September Kelly Marie Evis, 28, died in hospital 15 days after an accident on the High Street and a 32-year-old woman from Thornaby was also taken to hospital with critical injuries in October. Both had been struck by buses.

Mr Wharton said last night that Stockton council leader, Bob Cook, had confirmed a full safety audit would take place.

A pedestrian safety campaign was launched after the latest accident, and took place before Christmas.

In his letter to the MP, Cllr Cook wrote: "A thorough safety audit is due in early February which when considered along with the formal investigations into the accidents will provide us with a comprehensive evidence and factual basis on which to consider and inform further actions."

Mr Wharton said residents were worried that the new road layout and ongoing works were causing confusion on the High Street, as they now had to look both ways at certain points when crossing the street, while before the works they only had to look one way.

He said: I am pleased Stockton Council is taking this seriously.

"This commitment to a safety audit is welcome.

"It is great that money is going into our High Street but the increase in accidents is really worrying. We need to do everything possible to make it a safe and welcoming place.”

But he added: “This audit needs to be done properly. All the signs are that is what they intend but it really does need to consider all options and look at things like speed limits and road layout.

"We are talking about people’s lives and even if things need to change as a result of its findings that loss of face for the Council would be better than seeing more people hurt.”