A 65-YEAR wait for a bypass around a North-East village comes to an end today.

A new £9.1m route for the A167 around Chilton, County Durham, will be used by traffic for the first time.

The 2.3km stretch of single carriageway leaves the roundabout junction of the A167 and A689 at Rushyford, before returning to the A167 at West Close, south of Ferryhill.

Councillor Bob Pendlebury, Durham County Council's cabinet member for transport and sustainability, said: "Chilton was split in two by the A167, which carries about 18,000 vehicles a day.

"A bypass was first suggested as long ago as 1939, but it was overtaken by events and nothing came of it.

"The county council then had to take over responsibility for the A167 when it was de-trunked in 2003 and immediately included the bypass in the Government-aided Local Transport Plan."

Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman said: "The bypass will bring significant benefits to the people of Chilton - removing 80 per cent of traffic that currently passes through the heart of the village."