RESIDENTS are celebrating after securing new measures to cut speeding through their village.

A range of new measures are to be installed in Ushaw Moor, near Durham City, following a long-running community campaign.

New ‘gateway’ features including road markings and signs are to be added to Broom Lane and Cockhouse Lane to remind motorists of their respective 40mph and 30mph speed limits.

Elsewhere, unrestricted parking bays will be painted on both sides of Station Road.

There are also plans to introduce time limits for parking spaces outside shops on Durham Road, although these will need to go through public consultation and could take longer. If there are objections, the changes could go before a Durham County Council highways committee.

John Booth, secretary of Hunter’s Gate Association, said: "We’re absolutely thrilled.

"Over the past few years there’s been a significant problem with cars speeding through the village.

"We did a community survey and parking and speeding came out highly.

"We wanted to do something about it. This shows the authorities are willing to work with the community."

Development of the scheme has involved Durham County Council, Durham Police and Mid-Durham Rural West Area Action Partnership (AAP).

County councillor John Wilkinson has pledged £9,000 of his neighbourhood fund for the project.

He welcomed the plans, saying: "Unfortunately, past Deerness Sports Centre the road drops down past the cemetery and people find it very difficult to slow down."

Sergeant Dave Coxon said: "The public had expressed concern about the way we were policing the village, in terms of speeding and anti-social behaviour so we targeted those areas.

"We’re interested in working with the local authority and partners to improve the quality of life."

It is hoped some of the measures will be installed in the next two months.

Campaigners will also push for zebra crossings on Whitehouse Lane, Durham Road and Station Road, each of which Mr Booth said would cost £35,000.

"We’re hoping that once we get the gateway in place that will be followed up by enforcement by the police and after that we’ll look at getting safe crossings," he said.