COMMUTERS fear a proposed bus lane will only add to daily rush-hour misery on a busy dual carriageway.

Durham County Council plans to introduce a bus priority lane between Belmont slip road and Gilesgate roundabout, on the A690 near Durham City.

The A690 is the main feeder route into the city for traffic heading from Sunderland, Houghton-le-Spring, West Rainton, plus suburbs north and east of Durham and from the A1(M) junction, at Carrville.

Traffic backs up on a daily basis, mainly at morning rush-hour during school term time.

Jams often go beyond the Belmont slip road, more than a mile-and-a-half from the Gilesgate roundabout approaching Durham.

But as part of the Durham park-and-ride scheme, due to start in December, the county council is building three car park interchanges, including one alongside the A690 at Carrville, each to be served by shuttle buses every ten minutes.

County council deputy chief executive Chris Tunstall said the bus-only lanes would ensure a speedy flow to make the shuttle service attractive to commuters.

"In order to facilitate a fast and efficient service, it is necessary to introduce bus priority measures on the main arterial links to the city to avoid delays," he said.

Mr Tunstall said the A690 bus-only lane would end just before Gilesgate, to maintain a two-lane flow for all traff-ic going on to the roundabout.

An extra exit lane from the Gilesgate roundabout will be added at the top of Leazes Road, now only a single lane, to speed traffic flow.

Five objections lodged by members of the public, plus one from the Freight Transport Association, all say it will only add to rush-hour congestion.

The county council highways committee, meeting on Tuesday, is recommended to approve the bus lanes.