A stretch of Durham County Road will be closed for the next six months starting Friday (July 15) after council officials deemed the route “too unsafe” for vehicles to use.
In recent years, part of the B6300, known as Burnigill Bank, next to the main east coast rail line, has been affected by landslides.
This has caused cracks and damage to the road, and an impact that now needs to be addressed through road works and contractual repair works.
Read more: B6300 in Durham County will close next month until winter
Starting Friday (July 15), the road will be completely closed in both directions to allow road contractors to fix the problem.
The road is an important link with the A167 for local residents and businesses and repair work is expected to take six months and will be completed by December 2022.
Here is what will happen:
Why are the works needed?
Serious damage to the road surface, including cracks and landslides, has long been suffered on the B6300.
Previously, the road had been kept open with a traffic light system.
Cracks have begun to appear in the B6300. Image: ECO DEL NORD
However, it must be closed to allow repair work to be carried out efficiently and for the safety of citizens and operators.
When will the round trip close?
The road will be cut off from all traffic from July 2022 and diversions will be made, and the council will choose to start work during the summer school holidays, as traffic is lighter at this time of year.
The road will then be fully opened in December 2022, in six months.
The road will be completely reopened in December 2022. Image: ECO DEL NORD
What work will be finished?
Major repairs are required to fix the landslide. According to the council, this includes:
- Excavation of the damaged road surface.
- Installation of concrete balls to provide structural support to the embankment and the road.
- Reinforced concrete works to tie the piles.
- Road reconstruction works to provide a safe surface for all vehicles.
Will there be deviations?
For cars and vehicles less than 4.4 m (14 feet 6 inches), the A167 will be diverted to Neville’s Cross and then the A690.
Due to a height restriction at Langley Moor due to a rail bridge, vehicles over 4.4 m (14 feet 6 inches) must use the A167 to Neville’s Cross, A690 to the Stonebridge roundabout, B6302 to Esh Winning, then B6301 to Tow Law. Take the B6299 back to Stockley Lane, joining the A690 at Brancepeth.
Will it cause traffic delays?
The council has said there are likely to be delays on the A690 and A167 due to the shift of traffic from the B6300, especially on the routes to and at the Neville’s Cross junction.
They said, “Please plan your trip to take the detour route into account and allow more time to travel.”
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