Improvements to Peterlee bus station

Although Peterlee bus station is in a neighbouring ward to ours it is used by many of the people we represent when they travel to other towns and cities in the region.

We have received many complaints over many months about the poor condition and general atmosphere at the station so the news that it has been bought by Durham County Council will be well received by many travelers in and around East Durham.

We have published below a press release issued by the council which outlines plans for preliminary improvements to the station:

Peterlee bus station bought by council

Residents in East Durham can look forward to better public transport after Durham County Council completed the purchase of Peterlee bus station.

The deal means that the council now owns all of the bus stations in County Durham allowing for greater coordination countywide as well as more control in managing and allocating bus services at the station. Passengers can also now look forward to better facilities and improved maintenance of the site.

The bus station has been without proper seating since they were badly damaged by vandals and had to be removed. Although money was available to improve the facilities, the council was unable to carry out any work as it didn’t own the site. With the purchase now completed, the council is looking to install new seating and carry out other improvements in the New Year.

Opening hours for household waste recycling centres

We have published below changes to opening hours of the household waste and recycling centres over the Christmas and New Year period:

Festive hours for household waste sites

Residents are reminded that household waste recycling centres will be closed across County Durham on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Details of opening on other days are as follows:

• Annfield Plain, Potterhouse Lane, Tudhoe, Seaham, Heighington Lane, Romanway and Middleton-in-Teesdale:

         Seven days a week 9am to 3.30pm

• Hett Hills, Stainton Grove.

         Saturdays and Sundays and Bank Holidays – 9am to 3.30pm

• Thornley, Coxhoe and Horden.

           Monday to Thursday 10am to 4pm and 9am to 3.30pm on Saturday, Sunday,          

           Bank Holidays. Please note they will be open on Friday 2 January for residents     

           to dispose of Christmas household waste.

• Frosterley, Weardale

         Alternate Saturdays from 13 December - 9am to 12noon

Details of all household waste recycling centres and opening hours are available at www.durham.gov.uk/hwrc or ringing 03000 261 000

Residents are also reminded of Durham County Council’s Bin it Right campaign to reduce recycling contamination by putting the right items in the right bin. To find out what goes in which bin go to www.durham.gov.uk/whatgoeswhere

Changes to bin collection times over Christmas and the New Year

We have published below details of revised bin collection dates and times over the festive period:

Christmas bin collections

Residents are reminded that bins will be emptied as normal up to and including Wednesday 24 December with collection days then changing during Christmas and New Year.

The following collection dates are in place:

Normal collection days	Revised collection days:	Revised collection days
	Christmas	New Year
Tuesday	Collection as Normal 23 Dec	Wednesday 31 December
Wednesday	Collection as Normal 24 Dec	Friday 2 Jan
Thursday	Monday 29 Dec	Saturday 3 Jan
Friday	Tuesday 30 Dec	Monday 5 Jan

Normal collections will resume from Tuesday, 6 January 2015.

To check your normal collection day enter your house number and postcode into the ‘My Durham’ facility on www.durham.gov.uk

If you want your real Christmas tree collected free of charge contact 03000 261 000 before 9 January 2015.

You can also take your tree to any of the household waste recycling centres. To check your local site and opening hours visit www.durham.gov.uk/hwrc. All sites are closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

High Hesleden residents decide on traffic calming measures

Last year a considerable number of residents in High Hesleden told us of their concerns about vehicles speeding through their village. It was reported that there had been a number of accidents and near-misses and they were strongly of the opinion that traffic calming measures would help to prevent a serious accident in the village.

We asked officers in the highways section at county hall to consult with residents in an attempt to find out which type of traffic calming measures they felt would be the most effective and appropriate for the village. 

The first two consultations, although showing that residents felt that traffic calming measures were definitely required, did not give a clear enough indication to highways officers to enable them to proceed with a particular model so we agreed to a third round of consultation to try and reach a stronger level of consensus (please see post dated Monday 3 November 2014 for further information).

Highways officers have now told us that the third round of consultation shows that 77% of residents responding have indicated a clear preference for a particular model of traffic calming throughout the village (chicanes). Officers are of the opinion that this is a sufficiently strong indication of support for the scheme to go ahead in line with residents wishes. 

We have reproduced below the information we have received:

November Consultation – Chicanes

Total Replies – 43

In Favour of the proposed scheme – 33 (77%)

Against proposed scheme – 10 (23%)

We have now asked officers to inform residents of the outcome of the consultation and also to set out the next steps required to progress this matter to a satisfactory conclusion as quickly as possible.

Bus stop on A1086 to be relocated next week

We reported two weeks ago that the works to correct the landslip on the A1086 between Blackhall and Horden were now substantially completed and that the road had been reopened (please see post dated Tuesday 2 December 2014).

We have now received further information from the highways section at county hall confirming that the bus shelter opposite Blackhall steps is to be relocated next week.

We have reproduced the highways officer's full email below:

Dear Councillors

For your information the new bus shelter, which was the only outstanding element of works, is programmed to be erected on Tuesday 16^th December. Temporary two-way lights will be required for one day only to allow this work to be completed.

Regards,  

Senior Structures Design Engineer

Hesleden Christmas tree lights switched on

After the Christmas tree lights were switched on at Blackhall Colliery last night it was Hesleden's turn this evening to light up their tree and once more the people of Hesleden did the village proud with a magnificent turnout.

The chairman of the parish council, Cllr Gaynor Crute, welcomed everyone to the event by introducing the staff and pupils from Hesleden Primary School who, despite the freezing cold, turned out in their numbers to entertain residents gathered around the tree. A selection of Christmas carols was closely followed by the countdown to the tree lighting.

As ever, thanks go to the clerk, staff and members of Monk Hesleden Parish Council for organising the Christmas tree lighting ceremony, along with Rev Susan Richardson and Eileen Fallow from Hesleden Methodist chapel for opening their doors to welcome residents inside after the ceremony. 

However a very special thank you goes to the staff and pupils of Hesleden Primary School for their magnificent carol singing which truly got the festive season underway!

Christmas tree ceremony at Blackhall Colliery

There was another fantastic turn out this evening when the parish council Christmas tree was lit up at Chicken's Green in Blackhall Colliery.

Cllr Gaynor Crute, chairman of the parish council, opened the event by introducing the children of Blackhall Colliery and St Joseph's primary schools who sang a selection of Christmas carols.

Father Ian Jackson from St Joseph's RC church then offered a blessing for the tree before leading the children in a countdown to the formal illumination ceremony.

Many thanks go to the clerk, chairman, members and staff of Monk Hesleden Parish Council, along with the pupils and staff from both Blackhall Colliery and St Joseph's primary schools for their annual involvement in this ceremony which grows each year in popularity.

Tomorrow evening it will be the turn of Hesleden school and residents to switch on their Christmas tree lights. Please gather on the green opposite the Methodist chapel at 4pm. 

Update on street lighting issues between Hesleden and Blackhall

For over two years now we have been publishing posts on this site giving details of our ongoing campaign to have the street lights returned to the roads connecting our villages (please see our most recent post dated 19 November 2014 for background details).

As requested we have now received a quote from an officer at Durham County Council to have street lights reinstated on a relatively short stretch of road between Blackhall Rocks and High Hesleden. 

We had asked for a realistic estimate so we were staggered when we received the council's response. We thought that you might be too so we have reproduced the email below in full so that you can see for yourselves the extent of the problems we face in having our lights reinstated:

Rob/Lynn

Please find attached a quotation to reinstate the street lighting at Mickle Hill Road between High Hesledon and Blackhall Rocks.

We have quoted for two options:

·         New Scheme to meet British Standards £100,923

·         Using Existing Infrastructure – which is not able to meet British Standards £108,722

The quotation includes a commuted sum for electricity, maintenance and lifecycle replacement costs over 60 years. Because the existing columns are 32 years old this results in greater lifecycle replacement costs.

It should be noted of course that we have simply asked for 15 lights to be reconnected yet we have been given an estimate that has more in common with Blackpool Illuminations than Blackhall!

We will now arrange a further meeting on site with highways officers to make sure that they fully understand our requirements and, as ever, we'll keep you informed of developments as they arise.

Proposed wind farm at Sheraton refused by planning committee

We attended a meeting this afternoon of the countywide planning committee at county hall to register our opposition to a planning application for a 5-turbine wind farm at Sheraton Hill in our ward (please see posts dated 27 January 2012, 2 March 2012, 21 March 2012, 22 March 2012, 26 April 2012, 31 April 2012, 10 August 2012, 18 October 2012 & 25 November 2014 for background information).

Using the main issues outlined in the objection letter submitted to the county council (full details in the post dated 3 April 2012) we set out our objections to the proposal for three main reasons:

• the cumulative impact of wind farms in the area resulting in loss of amenity for residents
• the overbearing visual impact of the turbines on residents in a number of villages but especially in Hesleden and Castle Eden
• of the 139 letters sent to the planning authority commenting on this proposal 131 were against the wind farm with only 8 in favour. We felt that this accurately reflected the depth of public feeling about such developments in our area

Following deliberation by committee members it was resolved to refuse the application primarily on grounds of visual impact.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all residents who responded to the consultation and also the members of Monk Hesleden, Castle Eden and Hutton Henry Parish Councils.

All residents and organisations who made representations to the county council should be formally notified of the decision in due course.

A1086 Blackhall to Horden road reopened

We received confirmation late last night from the senior structures design engineer at county hall that the works to correct the landslip on the A1086 between Blackhall Colliery and Horden were now substantially completed and that the road was due to reopen today.

It has been a frustrating time for motorists and pedestrians alike but most people we have spoken to at ward surgeries and other public meetings have acknowledged that the works were unavoidable and that the safety of road users must always come first.