Four Hartlepool areas to get road safety improvements after serious accidents - this is what's coming

Hartlepool Borough Council Neighbourhood Services Committee approved plans for the safety scheme programme for 2020/21.

Four sites have been allocated for work to help improve road safety to aid both cars and pedestrians.

Raby Road – first stretch

Two stretches of Raby Road are included in the plans, the first from Hart Lane to Chester Road, which has seen three ‘serious’ accidents and two ‘slight’ incidents over the 300 metre stretch of road over the past five years.

The proposed scheme, estimated at £30,000, would see the formalisation of parking bays along with improved and additional pedestrian crossing points.

The carriageway centre line would also be relocated to give two clear running lanes, along with the installation of electronic signs, and guard rails to prevent pedestrians crossing directly across junctions.

Raby Road – second stretch

A scheme is also planned for the stretch of Raby Road from Chester Road to Powlett Road, which has seen one serious accident and three slight incidents, and covers near to Dyke House Sports and Technology College.

The proposed scheme, estimated at £40,000, would provide right turn arrangements at key junctions to ease traffic flows and improve turning manoeuvres.

Short sections of fencing will also be installed to prevent pedestrians from entering straight into the carriageway and additional pedestrian islands and improved crossing points and dropped kerbs will also be investigated.

Elwick School

Work will also take place on the Elwick School safety scheme, costing £25,000, as part of the council’s move in recent years to carry out such programmes at educational sites across the town.

Council chiefs said concerns have been raised by parents, ward members and the school itself about the speed of traffic and difficulties crossing the road, and a scheme is to be developed to address these.

Lansdowne Road

The final scheme currently in place is for Lansdowne Road, which has seen two serious accidents, and an increase in traffic after vehicle calming measures were installed in the adjacent Osborne Road in recent years.

A road hump scheme is proposed, with a budget of £25,000, to reduce vehicle speeds, and this will incorporate a raised table at the junction with Lister Street.

However Cllr Marjorie James suggested first looking to extend the one way system in the area to include Lansdowne Road and surrounding streets, as it may be preferred by residents.

She said: “I would suggest before that happens, which is quite a costly outcome and in particular residents don’t like humps, that we actually consider extending the one way system.

“I think that may be preferable, I just think that may be a better outcome.”

Council officers said they would take into account the points raised as they move forward with the planned schemes, which are subject to consultation with nearby residents and businesses.

They also added the list of schemes is ‘live’ and further schemes may be deliverable this year if savings are identified.

The scheme estimates total approximately £120,000 and will be funded from the council’s local transport plan.

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