Near £1 million boost for highways and footpath improvements

Published Friday, 16th October 2020

Fifteen road and five footpath improvement schemes are to be carried out sooner than expected after Hartlepool Borough Council received almost £1 million in additional funding from the Government.

The works, predominantly already part of a five-year maintenance programme, are to be brought forward following an announcement that the authority has been awarded £925,000 from the Government’s Pothole and Challenge Fund.

Councillor John Tennant, Chair of the Neighbourhood Services Committee, said: “This extra funding is very welcome news indeed and represents significant additional investment in the condition of the Borough’s highways infrastructure.”

One of the road schemes involves Truro Drive, a section of which has been closed to through traffic for a number of weeks for reconstruction. It had been due to re-open this week but will now remain closed for 3-4 more weeks for further works which will see the full length of the road renewed.

Peter Frost, the Council’s Highways, Traffic and Transport Team Leader, said: “The current works in Truro Drive involve the section of road from Catcote Road down to Honiton Way, but the additional funding means we can now extend the improvements all the way down to the junction with the A689.

“Given that we are already on site, we think it is best to do the additional improvement works immediately rather than returning at a later date.

“I would like to apologise for the continued disruption this will cause and also thank members of the public for their patience and understanding.”

Residential access to Truro Drive and adjacent streets will continue to be maintained, and motorists are asked to follow the signed diversions.

The other road resurfacing schemes to benefit from the additional funding are A179 West of Hart to A19; A179 Easington Rd sections; Coronation Drive, Newburn Bridge to toilets car park; Front Street, Hart ;Butts Lane, Burns Close to bend; Chatham Road; Coronation Drive, sections from Seaton Reach-Station Lane; Thomlinson Rd, section after Casebourne roundabout; Glentower Grove; Blakelock Rd, Bede Grove to Shakespeare Ave; Olive Street; The Lawns; Beckston Close; Bertha Street.

The footpath schemes are at North Lane in Elwick, Hillcrest Grove to south end of lay-by; North Lane in Elwick, North Close to opposite Hillcrest Grove; Butts Lane in Hart, Front St to Clevecoat Walk; Palace Row in Hart, South View to Butts Lane; Dalton Piercy Road, sections from Three Gates to The Windmill.

The works will be programmed in the current financial year.