Roadworks that are causing chaos in the centre of Durham will not be finished until autumn, Durham County Council has said.

Works to improve safety on the A177 Stockton Road junction started on July 10, but are not anticipated to reach completion until sometime this autumn – meaning they are likely to still be in place when university students arrive back in the city.

The four-way junction - between the A177, Quarryheads Lane, South Road and Church Street Head - had been the site of concerns regarding pedestrian and driver safety, as it is typically very well-used by students as a crossing to and from the Durham University science campus.

The works in progress to allay these concerns will involve the removal of the two crossing islands, meaning that more pedestrians will be able to cross in just one movement.

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One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “It’s really bad – given that it is one of the primary roadways into the region it has taken a shockingly long time to resolve issues with the crossing.”

Before the works kicked off, Craig MacLennan, Durham County Council’s transport and infrastructure manager, said: “This is a very busy junction and its crossings are used by a large number of students.

“At peak times it can be a tight squeeze as everybody tries to fit on the crossing islands and it can leave some people spilling over onto the road itself, which poses a safety risk.

“We’re revamping the junction by removing the crossing islands so people can just cross in one go.

“We apologise in advance for any disruption but will be carrying out the works in phases and doing as much as we can during the summer holidays to keep it to a minimum.

“We’re also advising pedestrians to follow the signed diversion routes and drivers to allow extra time for their journeys as there may be some delays.”

Additionally, the junction’s traffic lights are being upgraded during the works to improve traffic flow.

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A number of nearby parking bays along Church Street Head have also been suspended during the works to make way for traffic management arrangements.

Funding for this £1 million scheme will come from the £2.8 million the council secured from the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund to support walking and cycling improvements in Durham City.

The council is also reviewing opportunities to secure additional funding to improve conditions for cyclists connecting the university with the wider city centre.