THE main entrance road to Hamsterley is to remain closed for the foreseeable future as it continues to slip into the Wear River.
Saunders Avenue was closed at Crackhill Bank in January after part of it subsided and residents complain they now have to take a four-mile detour to reach the A68.
In its latest update, Durham County Council said a specialist had discovered the water table is 3.5metres below the road surface, which is contributing towards the instability.
The council said: “We are continuing to monitor the movement of the carriageway and following our latest review where further movement and damage has been observed we are continuing to keep the C31 closed to all traffic in the interests of public safety.”
During a police and community meeting (PACT) at Hamsterley Village Hall last week, county councillor Robert Potts said the road had now split down the middle with one side angling towards the river.
He said officers had tried to shore up the road in the past but this had not worked.
Cllr Potts added: “So what they are looking at is either moving the whole road, which obviously will take some negotiating with the landowner, or if that doesn’t work, the other process is where they put massive tubes and things in and divert the actual river further down.”
He said neither proposal was cheap or quick.
Residents have previously campaigned to have road upgraded from a C-class to a B-class, believing this would mean it would enjoy higher priority and better maintenance.
They say that, along with residents, there are about 300,000 people who use the road to visit Hamsterley Forest, which should qualify it for higher status.
However, Cllr Potts said there are various funds for maintenance, repairs and contingencies, but they are not allocated according to the grading of the road.
