Residents living close to a notorious crossroads have welcomed revised plans to improve safety at the junction.

Following a serious crash at Kinninvie crossroads, near Barnard Castle, in February that ended with one vehicle smashing through a house wall, proposals were drawn up by Durham County Council that would have meant a portion of the C140 northbound road being closed permanently.

However, the plans led to a backlash from residents, forcing highways bosses into a re-think, and a “revised” experimental order will now be imposed in October.

Marwood Parish Council and Woodland Parish Council hosted a public meeting at Marwood Community Centre last month, to discuss the previous “experimental order” that was due to be imposed. About 80 people attended to raise their objections.

Now, temporary traffic lights will remain in place at the crossroads until October to control traffic, in an effort to prevent any further collisions. Chairman of Marwood Parish Council, Adrian Mairs said: “It is good news for all concerned, and it’s great that they have listened to our thoughts. We hope they are willing to work with us to make the crossroads a safer place for everyone who uses it.”

Simon Land, clerk of Woodland Parish Council, said the new approach is “good news” for residents after he called the previous plans “draconian”.

Subscribe to the D&S Times online for just £6 for 6 months or 40% off all year for quality local news and views

“It is good news that they are now opening a better consultation process and the fact it is not until October so that process can take place,” he said.

“If they had consulted us properly in the first place, we would not have had to go down this route.”

Mr Land stressed that safety will still be up to motorists themselves, no matter what work takes place.

He said: “You can only do so much, and at the end of the day, it is down to drivers who have been choosing to ignore the things in place.

“There has also been a lot of discussion about how the SatNav doesn’t show it is a junction.

“If they get it right, this certainly should make it a safer junction.”

The exact details of the proposed order have not yet been released.

Mark Jackson, Durham County Council’s head of transport and contract services, said: “Following feedback received from the public and during the recent parish council meeting, we are revising both the design proposals and the experimental traffic order to maintain essential access while also addressing ongoing safety concerns.

“These plans are being discussed with Durham Constabulary and will be shared with the local parish councils once finalised.

“At this time, it is expected that the revised experimental order and associated works will be implemented during October. In the meantime, the temporary traffic lights will remain in place.”

The previous plans detailed intentions to remove the current temporary traffic lights to allow for the installation of a kerbed island and no entry signs on the C41 road just north of its Marwood/Stainton turn-off.

This would have prohibited northbound drivers travelling from the B6278 from continuing past the turn-off to reach the B6279 Kinninvie crossroads, instead diverting them to the B6279 via the C43 and Dent Gate Lane.