OFFICIALS have moved to allay fears that a main road affected by a landslip could be closed for up to 18 months.

Progress has been made to establish the scale of the work needed to make the A67 at Low Carlbury, between High Coniscliffe and Piercebridge, safe for traffic again.

The road, a busy route between Darlington and Barnard Castle, has been closed since March 19.

A traffic regulation order has been put in place, which allows the road to be closed for a maximum of 18 months.

Officials from Darlington Borough Council say this is a standard time period for this type of order and not an indication of the length of planned works.

However, the road is likely to be closed for months rather than weeks, with a firm of consultants appointed to carry out detailed work to assess the landslip and the possible options for repair.

A temporary mini bus service, to help residents who would normally rely on buses, access local shops and services, is now in place.

Councillor David Lyonette, the council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “While we are very aware of the inconvenience of the temporary road closure we must stress its importance in ensuring the safety of pedestrians and road users whilst we establish what must be done to make the road safe again.

“After a range of work to get the site ready for examination, we have now appointed specialists who will advise us on the range of repair works required.

“I’d like to thank the local community for their patience and co-operation.”

The consultants’ report is due for completion by August or September - this will outline more accurately the required time period for the proposed repair works.

Coun Lyonette added: “Despite the road closure, all businesses, restaurants and shops remain open for business and I would encourage everyone to continue to support these businesses and continue to visit the area using the road diversions in place.”

Since the landslip was identified, work has been ongoing with Northumbrian Water, which has two water mains within the road.

Water supplies to customers have not been affected by the landslip, and work has been completed to reduce the likelihood of any future impact on water supplies.

Trial holes have been excavated, revealing more about the condition and depth of the water pipes.