A COMMUTER route left badly damaged by a landslip is set to be repaired after the Government awarded a £2.4m grant to the local authority.

The news of the funding for the A67 at Carlbury, near Darlington, will come as a relief to thousands of motorists who have had to deal with months of diversions and one-way systems while investigations took place into the cause of the landslip.

Repairs to a 385-metre section of the embankment above the River Tees, using huge anchors to support the road, are expected to cost £4m.

It is hoped that work on the damaged highway will begin in May, although further detailed investigations into the state of the road will be carried out in January.

The £2.4m grant from the Government’s Pinch Point Fund will be added to £878,000 pledged by Darlington Borough Council and £596,000 from Northumbrian Water Limited.

The news of the grant from the Government’s Pinch Point Fund has been welcomed by the region’s MPs and councillors, who had worked together to lobby Robert Goodwill, parliamentary under secretary of state for transport, to release the funding.

Phil Wilson, MP for Sedgefield, said he was delighted to hear the bid for funding had been successful.

“There’s been a lot of hard work from Darlington Borough Council in putting the application for funding together,” he said. “Myself, Jenny Chapman and Helen Goodman also met with the minister.

“I look forward to the road being fixed and put right.”

Darlington MP Ms Chapman said: “I’m sure this will be a huge relief to everyone that relies on that piece of road. When we met with the minister we felt it was very positive so I’m pleased that the decision has come through.”

Councillor Bill Dixon, leader of Darlington Borough Council, said: “This is brilliant news and will be celebrated throughout the local community.

“The council put together a strong case for the funding and I am delighted that this has been recognised. We have worked with our partners, Northumbrian Water Limited, and I would like to thank them for their input and associated work on the slip.”

Councillor Heather Scott, leader of the Conservative group on the council, who also met with Mr Goodwill on the issue, said: “This news will be a fantastic Christmas bonus for Darlington and its neighbours in Teesdale and Tees Valley.”