A COUNCILLOR has urged highways chiefs to reduce the speed limit on a busy road through a popular country park.

Hexham’s Tyne Green has been as popular as ever in recent months, providing an ideal location for families to spend their leisure time during lockdown.

But for some time, concerns have been raised about the speed of vehicles travelling along Tyne Green Road, which runs from the A6079 Hexham Bridge roundabout, to Tynedale Golf Club.

Northumberland County Council initially agreed in February of this year to reduce the existing 30mph to 20mph, after concerns were raised by the county councillor for Hexham Central with Acomb, Trevor Cessford.

This week, following further concerns from Coun. Derek Kennedy, who represents Hexham West on the the county council, the authority said the reduced limit was due to be implemented.

Coun. Kennedy said: “This has been in the pipeline for some time, and I am pleased it’s going to happen soon because its essential.

“That is definitely not a 30mph road. It’s very narrow and it is right alongside the green area where children are playing and people are walking their dogs.

“Tyne Green is a place a lot of people go to every single day. When many facilities were closed during lockdown, it was immensely popular.”

Coun. Kennedy said an existing 30mph sign on Tyne Green Road was counter productive, because most motorists would naturally assume the limit was lower.

A recent county council report on Tyne Green Road acknowledged that the nature of the area required low speed. A spokeswoman said the new 20mph limit had been agreed and was due to be implemented.

A ROAD passing one of Tynedale’s beauty spots and a popular area for children to play is set to become a bit safer.

Tyne Green Road will have its speed limit reduced to 20mph, after county councillor for Hexham Central with Acomb, Trevor Cessford, raised some residents’ concerns with Northumberland County Council.

The road, which is currently a 30mph limit, runs past a play area and takes drivers past Tyne Green to Cafe Enna and Tynedale Golf Club.

Coun. Cessford said: “A few residents had contacted me a while back about safety on that road because there’s kids playing by the play area and it’s a busy area.

“I made inquiries and eventually managed to get permission for a 20mph limit.

“20mph is very sensible there. People are probably driving up to play golf or having a nice drive out or to take the kids to the play area so I can’t see there being much reason to drive 30mph. I think the concern is that, with the play area there and all of the grass, children run around and play and unless you keep a very tight eye on children they could run or wander towards to the road. I have never heard of any major accidents there, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there had been some near misses, and it’s best to be safe.”

The speed limit change proposal will go through the county council’s traffic regulations and an opportunity will be given for people to object before the change is enforced. Coun. Cessford added: “I would hope it could be completed in three months, but it could be more than that with the traffic regulations, so we could be looking at six months depending on how long that takes.”