The resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, is pleading with the Darlington Borough Council to remove the bollards and relocate the crossing. The move comes as the council expressed concerns over a nearby school crossing point.
The situation began in 2018 when a section of tactile pavement was installed on the footpath outside the resident’s home. This measure aimed to enhance the safety of parents and primary school children. However, after witnessing traffic issues along the road for nearly five years, the homeowner is now calling for better infrastructure to be installed in a safer location.
The resident shares her initial encounter with the local authority, saying: “I didn’t initially know you couldn’t drive over it, and we only had the driveway done at the end of March. A highways inspector drove past, stopped, and told my husband he was legally not allowed to park there.”
The decision to pave the driveway was prompted by the uplifted footpath caused by tree roots. The resident admits to being naive, assuming since they had a dropped kerb, they would be able to use the driveway without any issues.
In May, the council sent a letter warning bollards would be installed if the path was damaged by vehicles driving over it. The resident insists they haven’t used the driveway since receiving the warning, yet the bollards were still erected.
Expressing her frustration, the resident says, “I feel like we’ve been made an example of and discriminated against. I don’t think they needed to go to this extreme, I’m so embarrassed. It just looks awful, and whenever I look out the window, I’m faced with this. I keep my blinds closed now.”
During school hours, parked cars line both sides of Middleton Lane, creating tight gaps for vehicles to navigate while also ensuring the safety of schoolchildren crossing the road.
Surprisingly, there are no warning signs indicating the presence of a school crossing ahead. However, a lollipop lady is currently managing the traffic flow.
Local councillor Deborah Laing sympathises with the resident’s plight but admits requests to relocate the crossing, in collaboration with the council, have been unsuccessful thus far.
She acknowledges the challenges faced by the resident and said: “It’s very difficult and we have asked the questions but we have not got anywhere yet. She has everything going against her and we’re trying to find a feasible solution. I can understand the council’s decision but I really sympathise with her as it’s very difficult in the village with parking.”
A council spokesperson said: “There must be a properly constructed vehicle crossing if residents want to park on a driveway. The location must be inspected by the Highways Authority to ensure it is safe. We always try to accommodate requests but there are occasions when we have to refuse, for example, if it’s close to a junction or crossing.
“On this occasion the resident did not contact the Highway Authority before building their block paving. If they had, they would have been advised that a vehicle crossing would not be allowed due to the existing crossing, which is also a school crossing patrol location and has been for many years.
“We have been in discussions with the resident for several months and have explored the possibility of moving the crossing point but this has not been possible due to on street parking, bus stops and nearby road junctions.
“The resident told us they would be extending their fence to close the gap but this has not happened so reluctantly we have had to install bollards to prevent cars driving over the footpath.
“It is regretful that we were unable to help this resident but we have a duty of care to keep everyone safe.”
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