RESIDENTS have won their fight against plans to move a village bus stop which has been described as a safety hazard.

Durham County Council has dropped proposals to move the stop, on the eastern side of The Hayricks, Tanfield Village, near Stanley, to stop a spate of minor accidents, in which only the cars were damaged.

Highways officials were considering the move because drivers' visibility is limited by the stop and cars parked on the other side of the road.

They proposed to move it to St Margaret's Drive - the bus stop on the western side of The Hayricks would stay - but residents sent a petition signed by 65 households objecting to the move.

The worry was that the new site, in St Margaret's Drive, could pose a threat to the safety of children crossing the road from nearby estates.

But now the council's highways committee has agreed to keep the bus stop where it is.

Instead, a hatched centre line and bus stop box markings will be introduced for a six-month trial period to stop drivers parking there. The police will monitor the scheme.

Director of environment and technical services Chris Tunstall told the committee that the revised plan would discourage drivers from breaking the 30mph limit and the hatched centre lines "would encourage drivers to use all the carriageway width available".