'Accident waiting to happen' - Calls for 'forgotten' village to get footbridge over A174

A footbridge should be built over the busy A174 near Redcar to allow people living in an isolated village to cross safely to the other side, a resident has said.

Darcy Lance said the footbridge would allow access from Lazenby to a local woods known as ‘conker woods’ used by dog walkers and onwards to Eston Nab.

There is a small pedestrian refuge in the carriageway for people on foot to use with the route part of a public right of way from Chestnut Close.

But Mr Lance said it was often difficult to cross due to the amount of and speed of vehicles.

He said: “This road is far too dangerous to cross at peak hours. It’s an accident waiting to happen. Sometimes you can be stood waiting for 20 minutes waiting for a gap in the traffic to cross.

“We have got a school here who could explore the woods and lots of young families, they cannot cross this road easily.”

Mr Lance said it was also impossible for elderly people to cross.

He said: “A lot of people take their dogs over there. There’s no way an elderly person could cross with a dog.”

Mr Lance, who has lived in Lazenby for 15 years, said he had approached Redcar and Cleveland Council to see if they could pay for a bridge, but felt “let down” by the response.

He said he discussed his proposal with a local councillor and also shared with the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) a letter he received from Redcar and Cleveland Mayor Ceri Cawley.

In it she acknowledged correspondence from him, but said there was a “lack of funding”, although there was the possibility that involvement from the Tees Valley Combined Authority could “offer a way forward”.

Coun Cawley wrote: “I can only reaffirm what councillors have already advised. Although there is willingness to support the project, the council is unable to fund it in the current financial climate.”

Mr Lance, who previously successfully pressed for a restoration of the village’s war memorial, added: “It is a forgotten village, Lazenby. We have to fight for everything.”

The LDRS put Mr Lance’s comments to the TVCA, although it did not commit to exploring such a project.

A TVCA spokesman said: “We have very regular discussions with our transport colleagues at Redcar and Cleveland Council on delivering improvements to the network.

“Works are planned on the A174 and Greystones roundabout as part of our wider transport vision for the whole region.

“We’re committed to improving our cycling and walking network with partners and prioritising development work on missing links that meet local priorities.

“This will enable us to consider future investments.”