Crossing between Druridge Bay Country Park and Hadston to be made safer for pedestrians, council confirms

Housebuilder Miller Homes agreed to contribute £85,000 to improve local highway infrastructure during the planning process for the 90-home Shoreland Park development back in 2017, in what is known as a Section 106 agreement.

These funds will now be used to install interactive warning signs, additional street lighting, and additional road markings on the A1068, in a bid to make getting between the estate and Druridge Bay Country Park safer for foot traffic.

Speaking in the cabinet meeting, council leader Glen Sanderson said: “This is going to be hugely important for the safety of all those people who are going to our country park by foot from Hadston.

“The area has grown and we think that this is the right thing to do, and that is why we asked for Section 106 money from the developer some years ago.

“Let's get on with it and we can be quite sure that it will be a lot safer for our younger people, and all people, to cross the road there. I am very much in favour of this.”

Original plans had been for a signalised pedestrian crossing, but after feasibility work showed this would not be appropriate at this location the plans were renegotiated to feature warning signs capable of detecting pedestrians instead.

This variation on the original plans was approved by the council’s Strategic Planning Committee on May 3, 2022, with the cabinet now agreeing to accept the funding from the developer.