RESIDENTS are expected to protest at proposals to keep a controversial green bus lane.

Police have been calling for the scrapping of the quarter of a mile bus corridor on Yarm Road, Eaglescliffe, after compiling a catalogue of near misses, "inappropriate driving'' and road rage incidents.

But consultants called in by the highways authority at Stockton Borough Council say it should be retained and possibly extended to be open to buses longer than the present three hours, it can be revealed today.

The experts claim the bus lane is achieving what it was designed to do - saving up to four and even five minutes on bus journey times.

A spokeswoman for Stockton council said the report together with the consultants recommendations are being sent out to ward councillors, parish councils and other interested parties.

The bus lane has met with objections from residents and motorists and, as revealed in The Northern Echo, traffic lights may have to be installed to sort out a hazardous misuse of the bus lane it has created at the junction of Yarm Road and Butts Lane.

Inspector Colin White of Cleveland Police recently said he had serious concerns about the bus lane. He said the minutes saved on bus journeys seemed disproportionate to the problems and confusing it was causing.