CITY officials have called for an independent expert report on controversial plans for traffic lights on a busy road.

Durham City Council has commissioned independent consultants to look at the impact lights would have on traffic on the A690 Sunderland to Durham road at West Rainton.

Durham County Council's highways committee has backed plans to create a traffic light junction to serve a planned executive homes development at Rainton Gate, saying it will improve safety.

The junction will be paid for by developers Bryant Homes and Wimpey Homes, along with other road improvements and a £500,000 contribution to the road/rail interchange planned for Carrville.

Residents say the junction will increase dangers on the busy road and have lobbied hard for an underpass or overpass to be built instead - a requirement insisted on by a planning inspector in 1991.

Durham City Council will decide whether to give permission for the 193 homes and the road junction in the next few months.

The city council's decision to commission its own report has been welcomed by residents furious at the county council's decision.

Parish council vice-chairman Kathleen Carr said the city council would be getting an independent study, unlike the county council which relied on one commissioned by the developers.

"It does give us a glimmer of hope. I'm quite pleased with it. The county council never got a study of its own - the builders did a traffic survey - and it should have done its own survey.

"We sent out letters to the county and city councillors and we'll be sending more to the city councillors. If we need to do another petition we'll do it.''