Yesterday the council carried out its proposal to install double yellow lines on some of the street-end junctions at the Scheme Houses - and it's fair to say there have been mixed feelings, with some residents welcoming the measures and others opposed to them.
By way of background this is a scheme that took shape in June this year when notices were posted in the area asking residents for their views and comments about the council's plans. Full details can be found in the links here to my earlier posts about this issue:
Tuesday 10 June 2025: Council set to impose parking restrictions at the Scheme Houses and Blackhall Rocks
Thursday 12 June 2025: Update on the council's proposal to introduce parking restrictions at the Scheme House
Wednesday 18 June 2025: Council responds to residents' concerns about parking restrictions at the Scheme Houses
Friday 11 July 2025: Community Activities Update for June 2025
Given the mixed response by residents to these proposals I've had to play this one with a straight bat. There was no way I could effectively represent residents one way or the other without an obvious contradiction. As an alternative I assured all residents, regardless of their personal opinion, that I would forward their comments and observations to the correct department at county hall.
The decision to go ahead with the council's plans was made by the council's Highways committee on 16 September and I've posted the minutes of that meeting here for information: Agenda for Highways Committee on Monday 13 October 2025, 9.30 am - Durham County Council
Although I've tried at all times to keep this matter away from party politics unfortunately there are one or two people trying desperately to make this into a Labour v Reform issue. It's nothing of the kind of course, and attempts to heap the blame elsewhere does a disservice to the residents of the Scheme Houses who couldn't care less about who made the decision or their political affiliation.
However, since it's been twisted into an 'us' versus 'them' issue I would draw attention to the timing of the proposals and also the party political membership of the Highways committee who gave the scheme the green light. There were 3 opposition members in attendance, along with 6 Reform members (one of whom voted against the proposals). A simple working out of the numbers will show that the scheme could not have gone ahead without the support of the Reform members. This is not a judgement on any of those members. They were tasked with reaching a decision on the council's proposal - and that's exactly what they did. It will suit some people and it will dismay others - as is often the case there was no way to please everyone.
Finally, I've been criticised by a handful of people for not being at the meeting last month (this initially came from a member of the committee on the day of the meeting, but it has since been repeated by a couple of local residents). Anyone who follows local issues to any degree will know that I always represent our residents and communities to the best of my ability at every opportunity, and in person where necessary. Unfortunately on this one occasion I had to submit my comments to the committee in writing. This was because I wasn't able to attend in person on the day due to a close family bereavement at the time. People who know me and my family know the details of what happened, and that's all that matters. I don't intend to go into those details, but if anyone has a need to know please contact me in the usual way.
If you have an interest in this issue, or if you're just curious, please take time to read through the information provided in the links above and have a look at the minutes of the Highways committee meeting shown in this post. If you have any comments or queries you would like me to know about please get in touch at: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk
