WORK will start next week on County Durham's first quiet lane - a highway designed to be shared by walkers, cyclists, horse-riders and motor vehicles.
Pontop Pike Lane, an unclassified country road close to Leadgate, near Consett, has been chosen for a pilot programme to test the idea.
Highways chiefs say they hope the move will improve choice and make existing country lanes better for people who wish to walk, cycle and ride.
Councillor Sonny Douthwaite, chairman of Durham County Council's Highways Committee, said: "We've decided to go with just the one to begin with, and after we've monitored that to see how it performs, we'll look again at possibly extending the scheme.
"Quiet lanes are an innovative way of seeking to manage traffic in the countryside, including the speed of vehicles and the general attitude of the people who drive them, and of encouraging people behind the wheel to respect other forms of transport."
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