FIREFIGHTERS have admitted their largest engine does not use a new road layout, designed to cut response times.

But crews at Darlington have stressed that the air ladder platform appliance is not needed on all call-outs and does not need the immediate response time of an emergency vehicle.

The break in the central reservation in St Cuthbert's Way, Darlington was created at a cost of £30,000 so fire and ambulance crews could turn right onto the dual carriageway, cutting response times.

However the turning angle is too tight for the larger appliance to use so it has to go to the Feethams roundabout to get onto the dual carriageway and has been caught up in traffic waiting at the link's traffic lights.

Assistant Divisional Officer Les Greenwood said: "If the link across the carriageway had been anywhere else on the road it would have cost almost half a million pounds because of BT networks under the road that would have had to be moved.

"That would have made the whole scheme unviable."

ADO Greenwood went on to say that drivers should not panic if they see a fire engine coming behind them as they are queuing at the new traffic lights. The best thing to do is sit tight until the lights change and then move out of the way as soon as possible.

"Emergency vehicles will have turned right at the lights and so people should not be duly concerned."

ADO Greenwood estimates that the new road layout could cut up to two minutes off response times.

He said: "As soon as a fire engine or ambulance is ready to leave the station a button is pressed which activates the new traffic lights.

"We then have 45 seconds to get onto the road before the lights change again."

Amazingly, since the new road layout was unveiled earlier this month, some people have been failing to stop at the red lights.

ASO Greenwood said: "It is imperative people take notice of the lights and stop so we can get to an incident as soon as possible."