RESIDENTS are celebrating after signs have gone up urging drivers to slow down to 20mph on a busy main road near a school.

The part-time limit, which activates around school times, have gone up along a the A167 North Road and in Lombard Drive, outside Park View School’s North Lodge site, in Chester-le-Street.

The signs were funded with £17,000 from the neighbourhood budget of Independent Durham county councillor Peter May.

North Lodge Residents’ Association chairman Jackie Gregory said: “We have been calling for a number of years for a 20mph zone around the school.

“Our county councillor, Peter May, has worked really hard to make this a reality because it was not part of previous packages for 20mph limits outside schools.”

She added: “It will make it safer for children going to and coming from the school which comes out in Lombard Drive.

“A volume of children make their way to North Road after school. These signs will make road users aware of the school.”

Residents’s association treasurer Steve Gregory said: “It seems folly to have 30mph on other parts of North Road and then to increase it to 40mph speed limit, where you have a school.

“Rather than wait for an accident and a bunch of flowers at the side of the road it is better idea to reduce it to 20mph.”

Cllr May said the council had got just under a million pounds under a government scheme to introduce 20mph outside schools. More than 60 schools have been included in the scheme. The North Lodge site did not qualify.

He said: “I worked very closely with my colleagues in the council and it was quite obvious the authority couldn’t afford to finance this scheme. So I have been saving neighbourhood budget and negotiated with county for a figure I could afford.”