CHILDREN near Bishop Auckland could soon be taking a quicker, safer route to school if plans for a new path come to fruition.

Some families face a 30- minute journey each morning, many by busy roads, to Prince Bishops Community Primary School, in Coundon Grange.

But teachers and community leaders are hoping Durham County Council will use regeneration cash now dedicated to the area to create a path across fields.

It is hoped the route will run over Dene Beck from Bridge Place to the school, halving some parents’ school run.

County councillor Dorothy Burn, also a Dene Valley parish councillor, says residents have pushed her to campaign on the issue and says the present route is an “accident waiting to happen”.

The now-defunct Wear Valley District Council was condemned by some for failing to provide a footpath when the school opened in 2006, though funding for more work was short.

Coun Burn said: “This will save a lot of the mothers a lot of time getting to school on a morning.

“Apart from the distance no longer taking its toll on the children’s little legs, their parents won’t have to worry about letting go of their hands and them shooting onto a main road.”

Prince Bishops, which replaced two outdated schools in Eldon Lane and Dene Valley, caters for 180 children and was rated as good with outstanding features by Ofsted inspectors.

Lisa Buckham, Prince Bishops’ business manager, is consulting with the local authority and has sent a survey out to parents to gauge opinion.

She says a path cutting the distance will encourage families to walk rather than take a short car trip.

“Obviously there could be a lot of issues with maintenance that we have got to consider, but it could cut 20 minutes off parents’ journeys,”

she said.

“We have some parents with children at our nursery who come here at 9am, 11.30am and 3pm.”

Dene Valley Parish Council members are also meeting with representatives from Durham County Council this week to discuss the matter.