PEOPLE have the chance to examine road plans to link former colliery villages with a growing industrial site.

Dubbed "the road to jobs", the Central Route is designed to alleviate traffic congestion in the Fence Houses, Philadelphia and Newbottle areas around Houghton-le-Spring.

The 5.5km (3.3-mile) Central Route will provide improved access to the proposed new Rainton Bridge South Business Park. It will link with the A182, west of Penshaw and Shiney Row, with the B1284 near Rainton Bridge.

The route will provide a bypass of the existing A182 through Shiney Row, Philadelphia, Newbottle and Houghton-le-Spring, and of the A1052 through Fence Houses. Both roads are lined by terraced houses and the removal of unnecessary through traffic will ease noise problems for residents.

The route forms a key element in regeneration initiatives for the former Durham Coalfield areas of Wearside.

Sections between the A182 Washington Highway and the A183 Chester Road, and from Dairy Lane to Dubmire, near Houghton-le-Spring, have already been built by housing developers but the rest will be Government-funded.

A planning application for the remainder of the route is expected to be submitted early next year.

The plans can be viewed at Fence Houses Library from today until Wednesday, or at Shiney Row Library, from Thursday to Saturday.

Highways staff will be in attendance from 3pm to 6pm, today and Thursday.