I went along to the latest monthly Police & Communities Together (PACT) meeting held on Wednesday night in the parish council offices.
A number of the usual issues were covered, including reports of untidy properties and back yards in some streets, and one or two parking issues at a couple of locations in Blackhall Colliery. These matters are to be addressed jointly by the police and local authority.
On behalf of residents I raised concerns about off-road bikes riding along the Black Path between Blackhall Colliery and High Hesleden. These latest reports from residents follow others raised recently about off-road bikes and quads riding around open public spaces at a number of locations along the coast.
Naturally residents have genuine concerns about the risk to public safety of these incidents, especially when vehicles are trespassing on public footpaths and putting pedestrians and others in danger. With that in mind I’ve suggested that anti-bike devices should be installed at either side of the Black Path. These structures allow access to pushchairs and wheelchairs but restrict access to bikes and other vehicles that have no right to be on a public footpath. Similar measures were adopted a couple of years ago to prevent unauthorised access to Chicken’s Green: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2021/01/first-phase-of-safety-measures-at.html
With incidents like this, wherever there’s a risk of an accident happening, the general consensus has always been that taking preventative measures in advance is better than doing nothing and waiting for an accident to happen first. So with that in mind the police are to consider the measures proposed above for their suitability in preventing illegal access to the public footpath at the Black Path.
UPDATE: From the council’s public rights of way team, Friday 12 May:
I’ve looked into measures here before but nothing ever progressed as I don’t think we had enough evidence of ASB on the path at the time. Given that it’s been brought up at the PACT meeting I am happy to revisit to see what measures can be put in place. Although ideal to stop the issues, I don’t think we can authorise an A-frame but a chicane wouldn’t be out of the question I don’t think. Given that the path is tarmac it’s probably better used and for this reason we need to ensure that pushchairs etc can still get through.
Leave it with me and I’ll see if its something we can fund, if so I’ll get our contractors to go out and see what’s feasible with the space we have. Looking at each side of the path I think a chicane is potentially the only feasible at the Mickle Hill Road end of the path.
At last night’s meeting residents also raised concerns about continued parking issues at two separate locations in Blackhall Colliery. The police and neighbourhood wardens have confirmed that they’re aware of these problems and are taking measures to address them.
Earlier in the week I raised a number of highways issues with the relevant section at DCC. These are mainly associated with residents’ reports of potholes in several locations in Shaftesbury Road and a report of potholes and uneven road surface in the back lane between Park Avenue and School Avenue. Along with a report of damaged kerbstones on the Gray Avenue and B1281 junction in Hesleden these issues have been passed to the highways team for inspection and repair where necessary.
In addition, following residents' concerns, I contacted the pest control department at county hall earlier this week to report sightings of vermin at Blackhall Rocks. I'll update on progress in due course.
**Stacey and I will be taking part in our next street walkabout on Tuesday next week (2 May), this time in Blackhall Colliery. If there are any issues you would like us to know about in advance please get in touch with us at: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk or stacey.deinali@durham.gov.uk