A DEAL has been struck to keep more than 100 street lights along a busy North-East road.

A controversial proposal by Durham County Council would have seen street lights removed on stretches of the A167 between Newton Aycliffe and the Cock 'o' the North roundabout, near Durham City, later this year.

However, following objections a deal has now been agreed that Great Aycliffe Town Council and Ferryhill Town Council will take over the cost of maintaining the lights.

Ferryhill town councillor Brian Avery said: “Councillors have put the safety of road users, pedestrians and children first by voting unanimously to save the lights on their section of the A167 and enter into a service level agreement with Durham County Council to pay annually for maintenance and electrical charges for ten years.

“The route from Ferryhill to Chilton has many twists and turns and there were many accidents before the lights were installed 30 years ago. Children and pedestrians walk this section regularly to school and to leisure facilities at Chilton.

“The route from Ferryhill to Thinford is also walked regularly by families visiting the numerous food outlets at Thinford.

“To remove these lights was too big a risk for all concerned, a risk Ferryhill Town Councillors were not prepared to take.”

Great Aycliffe Town Council leader Bob Fleming said members of its environment committee also voted unanimously to save the lights stretching from the A1 motorway at Aycliffe Business Park to the end of the parish boundary.

"We do not consider A167 a rural road, it is a very busy road at times and there have been numerous accidents over recent years," he said.

“We can only pay for what is within our parish, which covers around 89 lights and is expected to cost the town council £47,000 up front. That will cover the electricity supply and maintenance for next ten years.”

John Reed, head of technical services at Durham County Council, said: "The agreement is yet to be formally entered into, but under the agreement a total of 23 street lights away from roundabouts and major junctions on the A167 between Thinford and Ferryhill, which had been proposed for removal, would be retained.

"Under the agreement we would continue to maintain these lights while the town council would fund the maintenance and energy costs over a 10-year period."