POLICE and councillors are pushing forward plans to raise a speed limit on the edge of a Weardale town to 40mph as they claim it will make the road safer and is fairer for motorists.

Residents of Stanhope have long complained that the 30mph on the A689 to the west of the town starts too early, with many motorists disregarding it until they are among the houses at Rose Terrace.

But now Durham County Council is planning to change the 30mph zone to a 40mph limit and start the slower zone at the west end of Rose Terrace.

PC Billy Crampsie, who has been working for 18 months on the plan, said the new 40mph buffer zone will persuade more motorists to slow down when they hit the 30mph zone.

He said: “A speed limit has to be credible and at the moment, where the 30mph starts it is a wide road with little development either side, it does not feel like it should be 30mph and therefore many motorists do not slow down.

“The buffer zone will slow them down to 40mph, which feels appropriate, and it makes the 30mph at Rose Terrace much more likely to be adhered to.”

Weardale county councillor, Anita Savory, is hoping to fund the change of limit through her budget from the authority.

She said: “It should make the road a lot safer and is also fairer on drivers who previously would have been fined for speeding before they entered the town.

“There are a houses with children in that area so the road should be safer for them.”

Stanhope Parish Council is also supporting the change and chairman Richard Mews said: “It has been a problem for a lot of years, but this makes sense.

“The buffer zone and accompanying rumble strips will make people aware of the limit.”

Brian Buckley, strategic highways manager at Durham County Council, said: “A speed limit review was undertaken jointly by Durham Constabulary and council officers who assessed it against guidance set by the Department of Transport.

“Studies have found that, by introducing credible speed limits, driver behaviour alters and speeding is reduced.”