TRAFFIC lights are to be installed on a busy road following a long-running campaign.

For six years members of the Havannah Branch of the Labour Party have called for traffic calming measures at the Hunter Hill junction of the A693 between Stanley and Chester-le-Street.

Durham County Council has finally agreed and work is due to start on Monday at a cost of £60,000.

Havannah branch secretary Steve Carr said: "We are elated and everyone is looking forward to it because it will make life much easier. You can stand there for five minutes sometimes waiting to get across the road.

"There are some really big wagons use that road and it is terrifying. People are dodging across the road and it is very dangerous. It is an area with a lot of pensioners' bungalows and it is difficult for them to get across the road when they want to go to Chester-le-Street or Stanley."

Durham County Council and Derwentside District Council are funding the project following a letter writing campaign by the party. The county council said there had only been one slight accident on the road since 2000.

A spokesman for the county council said: "We were aware of a congestion problem on the road three years ago and it was suggested that traffic lights be considered because of new developments in the area.

"This is to tackle a congestion problem not an accident problem."