CAMPAIGNERS are calling for a re-think of controversial proposals for “half a bypass” they fear will simply shunt traffic congestion from one village onto another.

West Auckland Parish Council and Durham County Councillor Rob Yorke are demanding wider public consultation on plans being progressed for the Toft Hill bypass, approved last month by Durham County Council.

There is concern the scheme in its current form omits any mention of the completion of the West Auckland bypass, with councillors concerned that by solving one issue in Toft Hill, the new road will create greater problem in West Auckland.

The parish council and Cllr Yorke have secured over 800 signatures for a petition calling for full public consultation to decide the best route for a bypass that would also serve the villages of Toft Hill, Spring Gardens and West Auckland.

Read more: Attempted murder of man in Shildon on Halloween

The petition is being given to Bishop Auckland MP Dehenna Davison, who made the bypass an election campaign pledge in 2019, and Durham County Council.

Cllr Yorke has been a vocal opponent of the bypass, tabling a motion at full council calling for a more holistic approach to the project, benefitting all the local communities rather than just one.

He said: “I welcome a solution addressing all of our communities’ issues with traffic, but this project in its current form is not it. It’s a half-baked idea that would deliver half a bypass creating more problems than it solves. It’s imperative that the local MP and Durham County Council’s Tory-led Coalition administration listen to the opinions and concerns of people living in and around West Auckland and St Helen Auckland because the proposals as they appear at the moment, would simply shift all of the traffic currently travelling through Toft Hill to West Auckland and St Helen Auckland.”

Parish council chairman George Smith said the petition had 800 signatories from across the village and surrounding communities.

He said: “Residents have been really keen to sign up, with 98 per cent of them backing the petition, so far.

“Parish Councillors, residents, county councillors and friends have all pitched in to gather the signatures and raised awareness of the issue in the community.

“We are enormously grateful to everyone for all their hard work, but we won’t stop until we have knocked on every door and we plan two more ‘petition days’ to complete the job.”

Durham County Council and Ms Davison have applied for £20 million from the Government’s ‘levelling up fund’, some of which would be used to fund the Toft Hill bypass.

Ms Davison has said if it goes ahead the the next priority is West Auckland.

Councillor James Rowlandson, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for resources, investments and assets, said: “We are delighted to have been successful in our bid for money from the government’s Levelling Up Fund which alongside our own investment, will enable us to deliver £31m of schemes which better connect rural communities, including a bypass at Toft Hill which has been sought by local people for many years.

“The bypass will reduce traffic going through Toft Hill, improving road safety; but will also benefit communities along the A68 including West Auckland by reducing journey times and potentially resulting in more trade for local businesses, by virtue of increasing the number of people using the route.

“The bypass will be designed to ensure it does not impact negatively on neighbouring communities but we are very happy to work with residents and parish councils including at West Auckland to discuss any traffic concerns they may have and consider solutions.”

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054