Residents who live in a village near Darlington are set to face traffic chaos after two major roads through the location are set to be closed later this month.
Those living in Ingleton, which is about eight miles outside of Darlington, will be diverted through alternative roads next week - due to water-pipe-related roadworks on two major roads stretching through the village.
It's been announced by Northumbrian Water that the B6279 (From the A688 Staindrop junction To Front Street) and C30 (From the B6279 West End Junction To A688 Woodlea Junction) will both be closed at the same time.
The B6279 will be shut off to traffic from February 5 until February 16, while the C30 will be closed to traffic from February 12 until February 23; meaning the two road closures will overlap for four days.
It's understood that the closures are part of the Tees pipeline installation work from Northumbrian Water - which will connect water treatment in Teesdale with customers across the south of the county and over into the Tees Valley.
This includes replacing sections of the network that have served the area for more than 100 years.
A new replacement pipeline will be constructed, connecting Lartington Water Treatment Works with Gainford, and a new pipe will link underground reservoirs at Whorley Hill and Shildon, and up into Spennymoor.
The work in Ingleton is part of phase one, which will continue until around the summer of 2025.
Plans for Phase 2 are currently in development. Scheduled to start in 2025, this will see a new pipeline constructed between Whorley Hill and Long Newton.
Northumbrian Water’s Project Manager, James Dawes, said: “Project Pipeline: County Durham and Tees Valley’ represents a major investment in our water supply network to improve resilience and deliver for customers for generations to come."
However, the roadworks that are enabling this project haven't been well received by people in Ingleton, with residents said to be 'baffled' by the fact that both roads are closed at the same time.
According to the diversion routes set out on Traffic England, the B6279 closure will add another 13 miles to drivers' journeys, while the C30 diversion will add another four miles to people's journeys.
A villager, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "It’s going to cause chaos for anyone wanting to go west, the roads around the village are mainly single lane and not in great condition and Gainford is a bottle beck at the best of times, why couldn’t they close one at a time?"
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