PLANS for traffic calming measures on two steep roads have been dropped following objections from residents.

The original scheme for Coniscliffe Road, Carmel Road and Heather Way, in Stanley, included speed humps for each.

On Coniscliffe Road, these were intended to calm traffic and deter motorists from using it as a rat run to avoid the traffic lights at Oxhill, while on Carmel Road and Heather Way, they were aimed at simply calming traffic.

Durham County Council delivered 250 letters informing residents of the plans, along with copies of a drawing showing how they would take shape.

It received more than 50 replies, which supported the scheme for Coniscliffe Road but expressed concern that humps on Carmel Road and Heather Way would make driving difficult on their steepest parts during the winter.

The council amended the plans by reducing the number of humps on Carmel Road and consulted residents again. This time, it received 11 letters of objection and a petition with 70 signatures.

A report for the highways committee, which met yesterday, said: "The common theme throughout these letters and petition is that any form of hump or table would exacerbate winter conditions of ice and snow to the extent that ascending Carmel Road and Heather Way would become virtually impossible."

Councillors agreed to abandon the measures for the two routes.