RESIDENTS living next to an accident blackspot have welcomed measures designed to reduce the number of crashes.

For years, people living in or near Durham Lane, which links Stockton and Eaglescliffe, have campaigned for traffic calming measures.

A series of accidents and near-misses, often caused by speeding, persuaded Eggles-cliffe Parish Council to campaign on the residents' behalf to Stockton Borough Council for urgent action.

Now they have received notification from the borough council's traffic management department that they have identified the lane as an accident blackspot.

In a letter to the parish council, the department said it intends to upgrade road signs on the approach to problem bends, install solar-powered cats' eyes and put an anti-skid surface on some bends.

The borough council has also commissioned a consultant engineer to look at the problems in Durham Lane.

Sue Ireland, vice-chairman of Egglescliffe Parish Council, said: "This sounds very encouraging for us. Any measures for safety are very important because, the way things were going, someone else was going to get killed.

"A few friends of mine have been involved in crashes, so it is a subject very close to my heart."

A spate of crashes in recent years prompted the plea from local people.

Two months ago, a car overturned near a bend in Durham Lane, days after firefighters had had to use cutting gear to free a motorist trapped in another car crash near the same spot.

In June last year, two men died in a two-car crash and in 2000, a motorcyclist lost a leg in an accident on the same stretch.

The lane is not one of the 30 accident-plagued roads on Teesside that are targeted with speed cameras, but that could change.

Cleveland Police said they have received requests to monitor the activities of motorists in the area, which they intend to consider.