A COUNCILLOR has raised concerns again over a notorious junction on a town’s main road after a vehicle collided with a van and caught fire last week.

The incident happened on Friday, October 2, a vehicle was travelling at speed through Tow Law before turning off and crashing into a parked van.

The A68 makes a sharp right turn at the Wolsingham Road junction on the corner which leads to confusion and cars fail to indicate when turning off.

Vehicles also hit the bend at speed and fail to slow down to 30mph.

This makes it difficult to cross the road, and numerous crashes over the years have lead to safety concerns for parents on the school run.

Attempts to make the road safer have struggled to take off, recruitment of a crossing warden started in summer 2019.

Durham County Councillor for Tow Law, Richard Manchester said: “This location has long been a concern for me and for residents of Tow Law.

"The bend is tighter than you would expect and having two junctions leading off the corner complicates this further, one of which leads to one of our primary schools.

“I’ve personally witnessed dangerous incidents, including a vehicle turning down the wrong side of the road when parents were trying to cross.

"In working with the Tow Law Town Council, we have arranged for a school crossing patrol to help children and parents cross the road, but unfortunately, we have been unable to find suitable applicants.

“We can be grateful that there were no pedestrians at the time of this incident, however it emphasises the need for additional safety measures at the location.”

Sadly, the pandemic has stalled the recruitment of a new crossing patrol warden.

Brian Buckley, Durham County Council’s strategic highways manager, said: “The safety of our residents is of paramount importance and we encourage all drivers and riders to take extra care when using our roads. Sticking to the speed limits at all times is key to protecting all road users, reducing casualties and improving safety.

“We have advertised for a school crossing patrol warden in Tow Law on a number of occasions.

"We would encourage anyone who is interested in the post to apply.”