THE planting of an oak sapling yesterday marked the completion of a £1.5 million improvement scheme on one of County Durham's busiest roads.

The costly project, which has created a new roundabout at the junction of the A167 and the B6312 at Plawsworth was officially opened by pupils from nearby Nettlesworth Primary School and Kevan Jones MP.

The new roundabout replaces a T-junction at the Red Lion public house at Plawsworth creating a safer junction for traffic on the A167 and the B6312 to Sacriston.

Fourteen pupils from the school, which has carried out its own projects over the years to identify safety solutions for the junction, helped plant an oak sapling to mark the opening.

Already around 350 trees and shrubs have been planted to help enrich the landscape and encourage wildlife.

Work started on the project, which is funded by the Highways Agency, last July and was expected to take until March.

"To complete a scheme of this size and duration ahead of schedule is a credit to everyone involved and, no doubt, a relief to the businesses and people in the area,'' said Chris Tunstall, the County Council's Director of Environment.

"Inevitably, there have been delays and disruption, which we've tried to keep to a minimum, and we'd like to thank everyone for their patience over the last six months.

"We've managed to finish the main work about three weeks ahead of schedule, although there's still some cultivation work to do in the spring when ground conditions have improved.''

Pedestrian and cycle facilities have also been improved between the Pity Me and the Hermitage roundabouts.

The A167 is one of the County's main north-south routes and carries around 27,000 vehicles a day and the B6312 to Sacriston carries about 5,900 vehicles a day.