Alnmouth councillors raise fresh concerns about new traffic calming scheme

A short section of the B1338 was recently narrowed outside Hipsburn Primary School and a raised table was installed by Northumberland County Council last month.

Cllr Martin Swinbank, local ward member on Northumberland County Council said: “I’ve not seen the final design plans but I’m not 100 per cent sure it is complete.

"I suspect there are still some bollards or something to go on the actual build out because there are still temporary cones on there.

"I have got a commitment from highways officers that they will come out and do a site visit with parish councillors if they wish to do that to see how it is working once it’s completed.”

Cllr Susanne Gair labelled the new cycle lanes as ‘ludicrous’.

"It’s not possible to drive a car on the correct side of the dotted line in the middle of the road and avoid the cycleway,” she told a meeting of Alnmouth Parish Council.

Cllr Shaun Whyte, chairman, added: “Whether it’s finished or not, it’s still a work in progress. I don’t think anyone is particularly happy about the build out which seems to be protected by temporary cones.

"It definitely needs a permanent structure to warn oncoming traffic that it’s there, particularly at night. It will destroy quite a few wheel rims, I would think.”

Work on the scheme began in October.

"It does seem to be taking an awfully long time,” said Cllr Whyte.

Cllr Swinbank added: “I am hoping there is more to be done because there are certainly cars going through there at quite fast speeds.”