CAMPAIGNING residents of Long Newton, protesting against the delay in building a new junction at an accident black spot on the A66, have formed a campaign group - Raid, Residents Against Interchange Delay.

Raid was formed last week by members of Long Newton Parish Council who have been campaigning for the reinstatement of the original timetable to build the long-awaited junction on the A66.

Building was due to start this year, but it was announced in December that the start had been shelved for at least three years.

Now all villagers pressing for the junction have joined the Long Newton Campaign Group.

The group has already written dozens of letters of protest to the Secretary of State for Transport and many other individuals and organisations and collected hundreds of signatures for a petition. Now it is encouraging everyone to object to Durham Tees Valley Airport's recently submitted planning application to expand airport facilities.

Raid say that the transport assessment in the application includes wrong information by stating that the building of the A66 junction will start in 2005-06.

Dave Williams, parish council chairman and a member of Raid, said: "The entire basis of the applications is founded on the incorrect assumption that the required infrastructure to accommodate the growth in both passenger and freight services is, or will be, in place in readiness for the significant increase in traffic volumes on the adjacent road network.

"I would urge all councillors and officers when deliberating the applications to examine their consciences and give due weight to the undoubted consequences of approving the proposed development without the interchange. Approval will almost certainly lead to many more deaths and injuries at the already notorious East end A66 junction."