A REFUGE island is to be built in Shincliffe, despite warnings it will not be enough to protect schoolchildren crossing a busy road.

Durham County Council has agreed to press ahead with plans to build a refuge in the middle of the A177, outside the Seven Stars pub, in Shincliffe Village, on the outskirts of Durham.

Officials hope the island will allow pupils a safe passage to walk to and from Shincliffe Church of England Primary School.

But the school, the village's parish council and five residents say the refuge is not enough.

They have called for a light-controlled or zebra crossing to be installed.

Parish council chairman John Hudson said: "If one child is killed, seriously injured or slightly injured we are concerned and we believe that safety for everybody must be taken into account.

"We're encouraging children to walk to school and we must make sure as far as we can their safety is in reasonable hands.

"The refuge does improve things but not enough. A crossing would be much better."

However, Roger Elphick, from the county council's highways department, said relatively few people crossed the road at the point so a crossing could not be justified under safety guidelines.

Mr Elphick said council research showed only about 13 adults and ten children cross the road each morning.

Coun Hudson said: "I maintain that other factors should be taken into account. We have a good primary school in the community and we want it to remain that way."

County councillor Mac Williams, whose ward includes Shincliffe, said: "I do sympathise with the people concerned, but we have to follow guidelines."

Mr Elphick said: "We are concerned about children's safety. The whole reason for putting a crossing is about that. We are convinced the refuge will improve the situation."

Councillors first agreed to build the refuge in March, but debated the issue again after it emerged that, due to postal delays, several objectors had not received details of the meeting until after it had taken place.

Approving the refuge for a second time, they dismissed the parish council's request that the 40mph speed limit on the A177 be reduced to 30mph.