A CAMPAIGN has been launched to improve safety at a ‘dangerous’ junction.

Councillor Cyndi Hughes is calling for a review of the junction following a number of accidents at the busy junction on Duke Street and Larchfield Street in Darlington.

In January a woman had to be cut free from her car following an accident on the crossroads.

The Darlington Borough councillor said: “We have had a number of accidents occurring at the junction in recent years and we need to have a look at what could be causing the problem.

“It is a busy junction and at certain times of the day there are hundreds of students walking from college down to the town centre and back, so I have spoken to the highways team at the council, as well as the police, to see what can be done.

“I have had a meeting with them both and the figures from them are different but that is because of how they are recorded.

“Following the meetings, what was proposed was a road safety audit be carried out to see what is actually going on.”

The Northern Echo:

Last month, a woman was freed from a car that crashed on the corner of Duke Street and Larchfield Street

Timothy Hinton-Clifton, who owns Hairtopia, told the councillor he has witnessed dozens of crashes at the junction and keeps a detailed record of the incidents – whether mayor or minor.

Cllr Hughes added: “Clearly it must be a dangerous junction and hopefully the highways team will be able to come up with a solution – whether that’s with improved road marking or extending the no-parking zones at the cross road, something has to be done.

“The figures show that nobody has been seriously injured which is one good thing.”

A Darlington Borough Council spokesman confirmed that the authority was investigating a number of options in an attempt to solve the problem.

He said: “There has been an increase in collisions at this junction recently. Although there are no obvious issues, a road safety audit will be carried out as a precaution, to identify if there are any more measures that can be introduced to improve safety.

“There are already a number of features at this junction including speed reducing measures, lit warning signs and give way markings.

“However, a minority of drivers are failing to negotiate the junction safely which is a concern. Drivers are advised to exercise due care and pay attention to the priority markings at the junction.”