Village 'isolated' as road closed for three years

The C31 is one of four main routes out of Hamsterley

Residents of a remote village say they feel "isolated" as one of the main roads out of it has been closed for nearly three years.

The C31 into Hamsterley, near Bishop Auckland, was fenced off after part of the surface slipped into the River Wear in January 2023.

Marc Shepherd has lived in the village for six years and said the closure, combined with work on nearby Wolsingham Bridge, had added 20 minutes to his morning commute.

Mark Readman, Durham County Council's head of highway services, said the subsidence issues were "incredibly complex and there isn't a simple solution".

He said: "We understand residents' frustration surrounding the closure of the C31 road into Hamsterley at Crakehill Bank.

"We are continuing to consider options and will provide an update in due course."

The C31 road has been closed for three years

Mr Shepherd said there were problems on the road for years before it was closed.

"There were lots of cracks and potholes and part of it slowly eroded before falling into the river," he said.

"It's been closed now for three years and it is really problematic.

"Mother Nature is starting to take hold and it is only going to get worse and more expensive to repair."

Mr Readman said the work at Wolsingham Bridge was progressing well and on track to be completed in the new year.

"We understand the impact maintenance work can have and we have done all we can to keep the bridge open to vehicles and pedestrians throughout most of the project," he said.

"But these closures are needed to ensure the safety of the public and out workforce."