Any film in the traffic camera?, Teesdale Mercury

Any film in the traffic camera?

Jun 20, 2002

QUESTIONS have been asked this week over whether there is any film in the traffic camera at the accident-damaged County Bridge at Barnard Castle,





after claims that some HGV drivers are regularly driving over with impunity.

Parish councillors at Cotherstone are so concerned at the recent severe damage at the bridge, that they are writing to the county highways department to ask if the camera there is working – and where the list of recent prosecutions is, if it is.

Coun David Rabbitts reported that a comment had been made after the accident that there was no film in the camera, nor has there been for a long time, and that 10 HGVs are regularly driving over the bridge every week.

“The HGVs are going over regularly, and this is on good authority, so that means there is no film in the camera. If they are being fined £60, £80 or £100 they wouldn’t be going over,” he said.

Other lorries are still inadvertently driving to the bridge, the parish council heard. Two long, heavy vehicles had had the sense to pull up short of it and get on the phone to police, said Coun Rabbitts. But some drivers were going over, while law-abiding local businessmen and farmers had to go the long-way round over Abbey Bridge. “The list of prosecutions should be made visible,” he said.

Meanwhile, someone has placed two old Christmas wreaths on the cobbled crossing place at the top of The Bank by the much-battered Butter Market.

Mystery surrounds this action, but traffic-campaigner, Perry Clifton of the nearby Beavers restaurant, has confirmed it wasn’t him.

On Sunday, June 30, the C44 at Newgate will be closed from 7am-5pm so that a new anti skid surface can be laid. The county council says this will “assist the traction of vehicles travelling on the uphill exit from the Butter Market and assist their braking on the downhill approach from the direction of the Bowes Museum.”

Local traffic will be diverted via Wilson Street and Zetland Road; HGVs will be signed off the A1 at junction 56 (Piercebridge) and signs on the A66 will advise them to follow a diversion onto the A67. If the weather is poor, the closure will take place the following Sunday (July 7).

• Northumbrian Water is carrying out essential maintenance work on the water mains supplying Barnard Castle and Teesdale until Friday. Some discoloration or pressure difference may be experienced, they warn.