VILLAGERS are keeping up the pressure to have speed restrictions introduced on a road which splits their community.

Chester Moor Campaign Group wants the speed limits on the stretch of the A167, south of Chester-le-Street, lowered.

Durham County Council's highways committee rejected their pleas earlier this year, a decision which angered campaigners.

They have now called for a review of all speeds on the road, the old A1, between Whitesmocks, in Durham, and the A1(M) interchange at Chester-le-Street.

They believe a review is necessary as complaints over speed limits have been made by other community groups along the A167.

Although most of the residential properties of Chester Moor lie to the west of the road, some of the village amenities are on the opposite side of the A167, which carries the national speed limit of 70 miles per hour along the section where people cross.

The group has lodged a complaint over the handling of the decision by the county council and is awaiting a judgement by the Ombudsman.

Members of the community group had planned a roadside protest on Wednesday, supported by Durham North MP Kevan Jones and local district councillor David Holding.

Group chairman Peter Lawson said: "We were holding placards asking motorists to drive at 50mph through Chester Moor.

"We feel 50mph makes more sense and we know there are similar views held by people at Plawsworth Gate and nearer Chester-le-Street, so we believe a wholesale review of the speed limit from Whitesmocks to the A1(M) interchange should be looked into."

"At Chester Moor, there are three pubs and a model shop on the other side, all generating traffic movements, and people need to get across the road, particularly the elderly going for buses to get their pensions and shopping.

"Although we have lost the case so far we don't know what the Ombudsman will come up with, and the people of Chester Moor remain firmly convinced that 70-mph is too fast for that stretch of the road."

The county council has stated that it believes the action group's request was handled entirely properly, and was happy to have been helping the Ombudsman inquiry.