A PRESSURE group has been formed in a bid to stop a relief road being built through countryside near Durham City.

Save Our Valley for the City hopes residents and visitors will back its campaign against the road, which is suggested by Durham County Council as a possible solution to some of the city's traffic problems.

Although the council says there is no plan, the road features in the Vision 2020 consultation on future development in the city.

The route would run from the A690 near Belmont, passing the Kepier House monument and the Crook Hall medieval manor house, and come out either on Framwellgate Peth near the railway bridge or at Aykley Heads.

Opponents fear the scheme will ruin a tranquil valley while doing little to ease congestion.

There are also concerns that if the road came out on Framwellgate Peth, homes in the Diamond Terrace and Sidegate area might have to be demolished.

Save Our Valley for the City was formed two weeks ago by people in the area and it has already attracted more than 400 signatures against the road.

The group has launched a website - www.savethevalley.org.uk - on which people can sign the petition.

It hopes people against the scheme will write to council leader Ken Manton and cabinet member for the environment Bob Pendlebury to voice their concerns.

Keith Bell, of Crook Hall, said: "We want to put information before people through our website.

"The risk is that people sit around and say nothing and end up with something they don't want.''

The City of Durham Trust has already objected to the scheme. It says severe environmental damage would be inflicted on the valley if the road was built.

A council spokesman said: "We would reiterate that, at the moment, there is no proposed route or any fixed line for a relief road.

"Whatever currently exists, amounts to no more than a basic concept or principle.''

He added that when a possible route or routes were firmed up there would be full consultation and detailed assessments carried out.

"The whole process, if it goes ahead, could take ten to 15 years," he said.