Renewed appeal for safe crossing point in Wooler after initial proposal rejected

The appeal comes after a suggested crossing point near the Co-op on the High Street was rejected by Northumberland County Council.

Cllr Mark Mather, chairman of Wooler Parish Council, said he only found out when speaking to a county council officer about the lack of response on various highways issues.

He said: “The survey results do not support a crossing in this position so it’s been denied. We had been chasing the results for nine months and we’d never even had them, never mind that the decision has been taken. This is totally unacceptable.”

Wooler Parish Council wants the idea to be reconsidered because it believes a camera installed for a traffic survey was put in the wrong place.

Cllr Mather said the county council was now investigating whether it can get the camera back to restart the process.

In the meantime, the parish council has included a crossing point in its list of suggestions for inclusion in the county council’s Local Transport Plan (LTP) for 2021/22.

Concerns have also been raised about two pinch points where new housing developments are planned.

Parish councillors have asked for improvements to Ramsey’s Lane and the realignment of the iron bridge on the B6348 to Chatton to be included in the LTP.

Both schemes have previously been ruled out because of the costs involved.

But Cllr Kevan Curry said: “With the building up there, Ramsey’s Lane is going to be a complete nightmare if nothing is done.”

Cllr Joyce Robertson added: “Priority signage for drivers needs to be introduced. It’s a free for all at the bottom of Ramsey’s Lane.”

"And with 72 houses coming on stream at the bottom, Chatton bridge has got to be sorted out.”

Members were also told that the Berwick Road footpath is ready for pricing and programmed for completion this financial year but there are still power network issues to be resolved.

"This was approved four years ago,” said Cllr Mather. “Why has it taken so long to get to the pricing stage? I am not impressed.”

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