AN authority has been accused of withholding key information during a public consultation.

Durham County Council is currently holding a consultation on its draft sustainable transport strategy for Durham City, which includes proposals to improve public transport, walking and cycling routes as well as a long term aim of building a northern relief road to reduce the amount of traffic travelling through the city centre.

But the City of Durham Trust has now accused the authority of withholding information because of a delay in the publication of a traffic survey carried out in November 2015. It says it has been asking for the information since January and was initially told it would be published in March.

Trust chairman Roger Cornwell said: “People are being asked for their comments on this sustainable transport strategy which recommends a number of measures, the most expensive of which by far is a proposed Northern Relief Road with a minimum cost of £40m.

“To recommend such a proposal without the evidence in this key report is unprofessional and betrays an irresponsible approach to spending council taxpayers’ money.”

A Durham County Council spokesperson said the statistics used in the consultation were based on a previous traffic survey, carried out in 2006.

He added that the results of the latest traffic survey would be released this week.

Stuart Timmiss, head of planning and assets, said: “While we appreciate there has been a delay in releasing the traffic surveys carried out in November 2015 we would like to make clear that they were not used to formulate the suggestions in the sustainable transport strategy that we’re currently consulting on. The findings of the surveys are due to be published on our website this week and people are of course welcome to read them before responding to the consultation.

“The survey will however provide a robust baseline for modelling traffic which, alongside the proposals in the sustainable transport strategy, will help to inform future development scenarios as part of the local plan process.

“The next stage of consultation, which will bring all of this work together, will be in December when we publish the preferred option for the County Durham Plan. It is at this stage of the process that the survey information comes into its own as we look at future development options for the city.”

The consultation closes on August 5. Visit www,durham.gov.uk/consultation for more information.