A DEVICE that flashes up motorists' speeds is to be installed at an accident blackspot in Aycliffe Village.

The device has proved a success in Darlington, where incidents of drivers speeding have been halved in areas where it has been operating.

The speed visor device will be placed at the side of the A167 in the village, which is subject to a 30mph limit to slow down motorists travelling north from Darlington.

Councillor Bill Blenkinsopp requested the visor from Durham County Council and hopes it might result in the installation of a speed camera.

He said: "It is to make people aware of what speed they are doing and it will take records of those speeds. It is needed at that point because motorists bolt through the village. They always have done.

"I am trying to get cameras in, but we have got to provide the evidence to the powers that be that they are appropriate."

A county council spokeswoman said: "Although we have not got any data at the moment to show how effective the visors are in County Durham, we do use them and believe they are effective."

Police tell the council the worst areas for speeding and the portable device is installed there for several weeks.

Once traffic shows signs of slowing down in that area, the speed visor is moved to another hotspot. In Darlington, the devices are in place for two weeks at each site, once every six months.

The numbers of vehicles travelling within the speed limit in the target areas in Darlington have increased from 30 per cent to 62 per cent.

Councillor Nick Wallis, of Darlington Borough Council, said: "The response from residents has been very positive.

"The device has proved it can help to improve road safety in a given area and can provide us with the information we need to plan improvements to our roads."