FEARS a vital route in and out of Teesdale will be closed have made an unwelcome return after a hole appeared near the A67.
Traffic lights and sandbags line a stretch of the A-road between High Coniscliffe and Carlbury near a hollow which has appeared behind a crash barrier.
A year-long closure and a £2.4million repair scheme by Darlington Borough Council sought to remedy past subsidence on the bank in 2014.
But road crews have returned to the main Barnard Castle to Darlington route with geotechnical experts due to take another look at the problem.
There were calls for compensation from Gainford businesses during the last closure of the road.
Cllr Lisa Johnstone, chairwoman of Gainford Parish Council, feared for the impact on trees, as well as village firms. She said: “We thought it had been done correctly in the first place. I’m a big supporter of the Teesdale Way footpath which runs alongside the road and I know from my basic geographic background trees can help in these kind of things.
“I would hope that they’re not badly affected and the woodland is preserved – I was only there a couple of weeks ago and we saw a green woodpecker which is really unusual so I would hate to see the trees adversely affected.”
A serious landslip in February 2013 triggered the start of the original works.
Metal netting was put in to stabilise the slope and a
number of ancient trees were removed from the embankment.
These works came on the back of a project carried out by the borough council and Northumbrian Water to divert two water mains from the slope.
A Gainford business owner, who did not wish to be named, hoped Darlington council would “get their backsides into gear” this time around. He added: “The council can always do a better job – it should have been done properly the first time around and now they’re going to end up spending maybe a million or a million and a half to get it right again.”
If the road had to be closed once more, Cllr Johnstone hoped a more suitable diversion could be found than the last time around.
“I really hope they don’t shut it – there is a road around which brings you back into High Coniscliffe but a few people do live along that road,” she added.
“When it comes to our businesses, if the road was shut again it would not be good.”
A spokeswoman for Darlington Borough Council said: “Following a report from a member of the public who suggested a possible landslip has occurred below the A67, we have had geotechnical experts visit and they advised that further monitoring and investigation should be undertaken.
“The traffic management that has been is installed is to enable repairs to broken kerbs that have been hit by HGVs, and to allow investigation to commence. We will ensure residents are kept informed of any remedial works that may be required.”
