'Death mile' road to get bypass

The government has approved plans for a bypass for a stretch of road in County Durham dubbed "death mile".

The stretch of the A66 at Long Newton between Darlington and Stockton, has seen a high number of fatal accidents in recent years.

The decision comes in the face of a campaign against the bypass from environmentalists, who said the development would ruin the area.

However, following a public inquiry held in July, the government agreed that road safety measures were needed.

Announcing the bypass, Roads Minister David Jamieson said the bypass would provide a safer junction between the A66 and local roads.

He said the link road would enable the closure of existing central reservation crossings and private accesses along this section of the A66.

He said: "We are committed to tackling congestion and improving safety on our roads.

"By making better use of existing capacity, this scheme will benefit motorists and business in the region - making journeys safer and more reliable."

Long Newton parish councillor John Rosser said the link road was extremely important for residents.