ROAD closure campaigners in Nunthorpe have been accused of being prepared to put people's lives at risk.

The angry claim from a Cleveland councillor came after a controversial decision on a rat-run road said to have betrayed the village.

Middlesbrough council also criticised Redcar and Cleveland authority's move towards permanent closure of Gypsy Lane.

The two councils had been working together on long-running safety problems around the road.

But after a 12-month closure trial, Redcar and Cleveland's executive on Tuesday decided Gypsy Lane should stay closed.

The road had been accident-free during the trial, councillors heard.

Campaigners for re-opening immediately said they would not accept the decision.

Mr Stan Robson, chairman of Nunthorpe Action Group, said: "This is a betrayal. I am appalled. All last year we campaigned for the road to be re-opened. But it won't end here."

Mr Robson said a meeting would be called to decide how to challenge the decision.

At Tuesday's meeting, deputy technical services director Mr Andy Hyams said Nunthorpe was split on the question of Gypsy Lane.

People living on other roads mainly opposed closure as traffic was switched to their areas.

Peak hour traffic along The Avenue, for instance, had doubled since the closure.

Mr Hyams said it seemed most residents favoured re-opening Gypsy Lane, but with traffic-calming.

This tied in with the outcome of public meetings in Nunthorpe, calling for a village-wide traffic solution.

Coun Dave McLuckie, lead councillor for community safety, presented a 1,700-name petition from Gypsy Lane road safety group wanting closure.

He said more than 300 children used the road to get to school.

The closure decision was greeted by applause from the council chamber's public gallery.

Earlier, campaigners had lined up outside Redcar and Cleveland town hall to press the case for both closure and re-opening.

Mr Robson said: "What about the 3,500 people who don't live on Gypsy Lane and want to see traffic calming on both parts of the road."

Middlesbrough has already decided on traffic-calming on its section and hopes to have the work done by March.

"This is a victory for selfishness," said Mr Robson.

Nunthorpe ward councillor for Middlesbrough, Coun Brenda Thompson, said: "I absolutely cannot believe this decision. It goes against everything we have been working for.

"I thought common sense had prevailed and we were going to get a Nunthorpe-wide scheme."

Coun McLuckie said: "There have been no accidents anywhere else in Nunthorpe as a result of the closure. The decision was made on safety grounds.

"Those residents who want to put people's safety at risk for a shorter journey need to think very carefully about what they are asking for.

"They are asking this council to increase the potential for injury or loss of life by reopening Gypsy Lane and the reason they want it open is so they can have a convenient short-cut through Nunthorpe.

"There is no way we can put lives at risk or open up an area where we have seen a drop from several accidents a quarter to nothing."

Mr Brian Glover, head of transport and design services for Middlesbrough council, said: "We are disappointed as previous discussions with Redcar and Cleveland officers indicated an accommodation had been reached.

"We will be looking for an early meeting with them to discuss this further.