NEW safety measures are planned at a dangerous road junction which was the scene of a breakfast-time crash yesterday.

Two women drivers were hurt in the latest accident on Coundon bypass, near Bishop Auckland, where campaigners have called for a "staggered junction" to be improved.

The cars collided on the same stretch where 79-year-old Anthony Johnson, from Busty Terrace, Shildon, died from multiple injuries last March.

He had pulled from the C129 road from Coundon on to the busy A688 carriageway.

Yesterday, a Mini had been turning from the same opening on to the main road when it was in collision with a Honda Prelude, said a police spokesman.

The Mini driver had slight head injuries, while the woman in the Honda suffered a broken toe.

Already this year there have been four other accidents on the bypass, which leads from Bishop Auckland to Canney Hill.

Since 1998, there have been 35 injury accidents. One person was seriously hurt and ten slightly injured in 1998, the same number in 1999, and one seriously and seven slightly injured last year.

The police spokesman said: "The bypass runs between two roundabouts and the junction in the middle is an area of concern to the police. There have been a number of accidents over the past few years."

Durham County Council had already decided on new measures before yesterday's crash.

A spokesman said work was scheduled to start in the current financial year, adding: "We are looking at a number of options which will make the junction safer and it is in our current programme. We are aware that there is an accident problem, and have had a number of letters from residents."