AN MP is backing a campaign by the residents of three villages to persuade highways chiefs to cut the 70mph limit on a busy dual carriageway.

North Durham Labour MP Kevan Jones joined residents of Chester Moor, Plawsworth and Plawsworth Gate, who gathered by the A167 between Chester-le-Street and Durham, to call for a 50mph limit.

The three communities are divided by the road and pedestrians have to cross it to reach bus stops and other amenities. There are no footbridges, underpasses or pelican crossings.

But Durham County Council rejected their plea for a lower speed only to be censured by the Local Government Ombudsman, which said the process that led to the decision to keep 70mph was flawed.

Durham County Council said it would talk to residents again, but yesterday, the first anniversary of the Ombudsman's ruling, campaigners stood at the side of the road holding placards urging drivers to slow down.

They said little had happened in the past 12 months and that the promised consultation had not begun.

Peter Lawson, chairman of the Chester Moor Community Group, which says the decision to keep the 70mph limit breached the council's policy on speed limits through villages, said that as well as fast daily traffic, the road was popular on weekend evenings with young drivers who race each other.

Mr Jones said: "A year on, we are still waiting for something to happen. This is about speed on the road, and it is also about the speed the county council is going at.

"If the traffic was going at a snail's pace, the people here would be happy, but it seems it is the council that is doing that.

"It is ridiculous that there is a 70mph limit along here. Instead of ignoring residents' views, the council should take them seriously and reduce the speed limit."

A county council spokeswoman said: "We wrote to residents over a month ago telling them that we intend to carry out a transport survey of the area and of the people who use the A167.

"This survey will be carried out in the next couple of weeks and, once it is completed, the issue will be considered again by the county council's highway committee."