Pothole repairs scheduled for Park Avenue

Last week, at the request of residents in Park Avenue, I reported potholes in a number of different locations in the back lane between Park Avenue and The Crescent in Blackhall Colliery. 

In doing so I asked the highways section at DCC to carry out an inspection of the lane to determine the extent of damage and to carry out repairs where necessary.

I’ve received confirmation this morning from the highways team that following an inspection earlier this week the road surface is sufficiently damaged to warrant repairs. I’ve been advised that on this occasion repairs should carried out within the next 14 days.

If you are aware of any similar issues in your street you can either report them direct to the council at: https://doitonline.durham.gov.uk/ or if you prefer you can let me know and I’ll make arrangements for an inspection: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk

Please note that all inspections are carried out by highways inspectors and decisions on repairs are based on the inspector’s assessment of the extent of damage at a specific location.

September Street Walkabout

On Tuesday morning Stacey and I went out on our latest street walkabout with the neighbourhood wardens, police, PCSO, community safety officers, the fire and rescue service, officers from the private sector housing team and other agencies.

As with our last walkabout held in August the purpose was to spot any particular incidents of fly-tipping, untidy properties and street scene issues and report them for the attention of the relevant authorities. 

Full details of the street walkabout held on Tuesday 23 August 2022 can be found here: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2022/08/our-regular-street-walkabouts-are-back.html

We also find it helpful when we’re out and about to stop for a chat with residents and businesses, listen to their concerns and do whatever we can to help.

Among the issues we dealt with on Tuesday morning were:

Fly-tipping at the top of Tenth Street:

Fly-tipping along the back lane between Tenth and Eleventh Streets:

Rubbish piled into back yards of empty properties:

Bins left out in a few streets and

Anti-social behaviour associated with tenants in two separate streets

As with previous walkabout sessions I’ll monitor progress in dealing with identified incidents and report back as necessary. In the meantime if you are aware of any issues in your area that need sorting out please let me know and I’ll raise them with the relevant authorities: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk

Environmental works underway at Crimdon

Earlier this summer I published an article on this site setting out a series of intended environmental works at Crimdon. These proposals included a new fencing scheme which came about partly in response to public concerns about access to the beach and dene areas for emergency response vehicles. Background details can be found in the article published earlier this year: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2022/05/i-recently-received-update-from-design.html 

While most people I’ve spoken to were in favour of the proposed scheme - and have been generally supportive of the works carried out to date - I’ve been made aware that there may be some dissatisfaction with specific aspects the scheme.

I’ve asked the relevant officers to comment on the design and purpose of the works, but if you have any comments to make about the fencing scheme - or the wider environmental works at Crimdon - please let me know and I’ll take up all your comments and queries with the relevant authorities: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk

Pass Wide & Slow: Promoting road safety for horse riders

It was a pleasure to go along to Hurlevent on Fillpoke Lane, Crimdon this morning to support the local Pass Wide & Slow campaign which promotes the safety of horse riders on our roads. 

This morning’s event was one of many held annually across the country with the aim of highlighting the dangers horse riders face when inconsiderate drivers pass riders at speed or fail to allow sufficient space when passing. The main aims of the campaign are to encourage drivers to reduce speed to a maximum 10mph and allow a gap of at least 2m when passing individuals or groups of horse riders. More details can be found on the Pass Wide & Slow website here: https://passwideandslow1.wixsite.com/website

There will be more detailed coverage of the local Pass Wide and Slow campaign next week in the free and online newspaper East Durham Life. In the meantime please take a moment to have a look at the campaign material above and think about how you can play your part in helping to promote better road safety for horse riders.

The latest update on the council’s review of trading licenses

Regular readers of these pages will be aware of an ongoing issue relating to how the county council proposes to change the way it issues its catering concessions licences to traders in County Durham. 

My particular concern has been for the owner of the food and drinks business currently trading at the picnic area at Blackhall Rocks, although many others across the county are likely to be affected. Full details can be found in the article published on Wednesday 17 August 2022: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2022/08/update-on-campaign-to-defend-popular.html

I have now received an additional update from officers at county hall who have been carrying out the review into traders' licences and how they propose to distribute them across the county.

The response isn't the outcome we wanted but unfortunately it’s typical of the Tory-led Coalition's dismissive approach to businesses in County Durham and also its apparent reluctance to nurture the economy along the coast and other potentially viable visitor locations. 

I’ve noted that the council intends to contact affected businesses across the county as soon as their review is concluded. At that point we’ll consider the potential impact of the review and do whatever we can to help to any business or trader affected by this heavy-handed and damaging approach to our local economy. Our local traders need a helping hand at the moment, not a one-sided and ill-timed review that holds them back.

In the meantime this is the officers’ latest update in full:

Good afternoon Councillor Crute

Further to the [previous email] below, we can advise as follows:

The review of catering concessions on Durham County Council (DCC) land has been led by Corporate Property and Land (CPaL) and was established after there were requests to occupy DCC land including land at Crimdon and Seaham. Investigations were undertaken to establish the current position. It was established that traders did not have landowner’s consent to occupy DCC land. This review has entailed collaborative working with Community Protection, Environment, Planning, Procurement and Public Health. A report went to Corporate Property Board (CPB) with a proposed system and this was presented to officers and subsequently approved. 

Following CPB, further work has been undertaken including how the new system will work. Ecology have provided a coastal strategy for assessing use of DCC land for traders. There have been planning applications submitted for a change of use for sites. These are currently going through the planning process. This will ensure that appropriate consents are in place. There is also ongoing work for a procurement system for traders. The new system will mean that a trader will only be issued with a street trading consent/licence covering DCC land if they have landowner’s consent from CPaL.

The review has been led by officers in CPaL who are proactively managing DCC’s property and land holdings.

This will ensure that there is a new fair and transparent system. This will enable traders to bid for sites as they will be offered on the market. There will be landowner’s consent, planning consent and street trading consent. At present there is not landowner’s consent or planning consent in place for traders to trade on DCC land. They are in effect trespassing.

Land at Blackhall Rocks is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and lies next to internationally important sites. As such, this means that there will be trading restrictions with the new system. These restrictions will help to protect the environment. Blackhall Rocks trading season will be from 1^st April until 30^th September. Please note that some sites will be until 31^st October and this is dependent upon the ecological situation at each site.

We can confirm that a member’s briefing has already been drafted and will be issued in the coming weeks.

We hope to be able to provide traders with an update at the earliest opportunity.

Kind regards

Environmental issues, Blackhall Colliery

Following my most recent informal walk around the streets of Blackhall Colliery early this morning the following issues were reported to the relevant authorities for their attention:

Rubbish and fly-tipping in the back lane between Second and Third Streets:

Damaged furniture left in the road at the top of Fourth Street:

Fly-tipping and rubbish in the back lane between Tenth and Eleventh Streets (top):

The next formal street walkabout with the police, wardens, housing officers and other agencies is scheduled to take place next week so any other environmental issues will be picked up then. In the meantime if you have any similar issues to report you can contact the county council direct on: https://doitonline.durham.gov.uk/ or if you prefer you can let me know and I’ll make any necessary arrangements: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk

Recap on traffic-calming measures on the A1086 Coast Road

A few days ago a resident contacted me to ask what the authorities had done to address reports of drivers breaking the speed limit along the Coast Road in Blackhall Colliery and Blackhall Rocks. As regular readers of these pages will know road safety in our villages is one of our main priorities - and also an issue that’s almost impossible to limit without the goodwill of the minority of drivers who insist on driving through our community without consideration for the safety of its residents.

As for the Blackhall area in particular, a couple of years ago I asked the police to carry out a series of speed surveys at several points along the A1086 from the Welfare Park at one end to Crimdon at the other. The outcome of the surveys was inconclusive but I asked for measures to be installed at certain locations anyway in the hope of assuring residents that the authorities were taking this issue seriously. 

Ultimately there are certain characteristics about the Coast Road/Middle Street between Blackhall Colliery and Crimdon meaning there are fairly strict limitations on the amount and type of traffic-calming measures the authorities can consider - and this is where the good intentions of drivers comes into the equation. Until the few inconsiderate drivers who persist in exceeding the speed limit come to accept the potential consequences of their actions the problem is likely to persist. With this in mind please report any persistent incidents of dangerous driving to the police at: peterlee@durham.pnn.police.uk

I published the most recent details on my blog at the time but if there are any other measures you would like the authorities to consider drop me a line please at the email address shown in the strap line above and I’ll forward your comments direct to the police for their attention. 

Please see background details in the articles published in this site on 

Sunday 14 November 2020 https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2020/11/speed-visor-programme-for-blackhall.html and 

Friday 20 August 2021 https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2021/08/speed-visor-installed-at-blackhall-rocks.html

Request for footpath closure extension at Hesleden

Regular readers of these pages will be aware that the company currently removing materials from the former pit heap site in Hesleden has submitted another planning application to the council seeking consent to extend the operation for an additional ten years. 

Full details can be found in an article published on this site earlier this year:

Sunday 6 March 2022: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2022/03/hesleden-pit-heap-timeline-of.html

In a related development Stacey and I were notified recently of a request from the company for an extension to the footpath closure order for an additional six months starting from the end of this month. In response I have suggested that the request be refused for the time being, at least until the planning application has been determined by the planning committee in due course. The planning process has dragged on for some time now and hopefully this might help to move things along to a point where a decision will be made on the future of the pit heap site.   

I'll update on progress with this issue, along with further updates on the main planning application mentioned above. In the meantime if you would like to submit any comments as part of the public consultation element of the planning process you can do so using this direct link: https://www.durham.gov.uk/article/8276/View-and-comment-on-current-planning-applications

**UPDATE** Despite my comments above I’ve been copied in to an email to the developer confirming that the footpath extension to 29 March 2023 has been authorised by the traffic regulations office. Details here:

Hello Paul

 

Further top your request below, find attached confirmation of the authorised closure of Footpath No 24 Hesleden until 29/3/23.

Any further request for extension should be made by no later than 28/2/23.

Additional info can be found at https://one.network/?tm=GB127957022

Regards

 

Steven Galloway Traffic Regulations Supervisor

B1281: Road resurfacing works scheduled to begin next week

Last month I published an article on these pages setting out a timeline of works scheduled to take place towards completion of the housing development currently under construction along the B1281 in Blackhall Colliery. 

Please see article dated Thursday 25 August 2022 for full details: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2022/08/timeline-for-hardwicke-place-housing.html

Part of the schedule included works to resurface the B1281 along either side of the new estate. I have now received confirmation that works are set to begin next week on the terms set out below: