Alnwick crossing point works leave street too narrow for buses and lorries to pass each other

The long-awaited safety scheme on Victoria Terrace finally began earlier this month – but issues for HGVs and buses quickly became apparent when the road was narrowed.

Cllr Gordon Castle, ward member for Alnwick on Northumberland County Council, has revealed his frustration and called for an urgent redesign.

He said: “It’s massively frustrating to find this long delayed scheme is yet further delayed owing to a design error.

"This means the actual carriageway is too narrow for two large vehicles to pass safely so some further ingress has to be made into the pavement area outside the Co-op.

"I’ve asked that this be done as soon as possible. I’ve explained this to the Co-op manager in person and apologised on behalf of the council."

The county council has explained that the road was narrowed to reduce traffic speed but will now be widened.

A council spokesperson said: "The original crossing design was to national standards and allowed enough space for traffic to pass safely.

"It narrowed the road to reduce vehicle speeds while cutting the crossing width for pedestrians.

"While we were still completing the works, and to minimise any later disruption, it was decided to increase the carriageway width to make it a lot easier for two buses to pass."

The scheme, aimed at helping shoppers, residents and schoolchildren cross the busy road, has already been delayed on several occasions.

A £20,000 allocation for the scheme was included in the council’s Local Transport Plan in 2020/21.