COUNCILLORS in a village plagued by speeding have agreed to look at buying a speed monitoring sign to tackle hotspots where motorists regularly break the limit.

Speeding has been a priority for Middleton St George for many months and parish chairman Doris Jones has proposed to buy a speed monitoring sign, previously identified by police as a good way of dealing with the problem. The signs, which cost about £2,000 and can be moved to different locations, flash up the speed of each car to make drivers aware they are breaking the limit and can also monitor traffic, weather and road conditions.

Ron Hogg, the police and crime commissioner for Durham Police, said earlier this year he would buy several speed monitoring signs that could be shared around the rural parts of the force area, but Middleton St George councillors were concerned that would mean the sign would only be used in the village very rarely.

Coun Jones said: “We could wait for the shared sign from Durham Police, but it could be that we only see it for a week once a year. We could consider buying our own, which would cost about £2,000.”

The sign would be used in Middleton Lane, Killinghall Row and St George’s Way, where most of the speeding occurs in the village.

Members agreed to ask advice from manufacturers, police officers and Darlington Borough Council before deciding whether to go ahead with the proposal.