Roadworks to go ahead near Northumberland village but without promised public consultation

Residents of a Northumberland village that was set to be “cut off” by road closures until angry residents forced a council U-turn have questioned why a new set of roadworks have been rubber-stamped without the public consultation they were promised.

Northumberland County Council put roadworks in place on the B6353 from Lowick to Fenwick on December 4 2023 with the intention of fixing a landslip which the council said: “had shown further movement following significant rainfall over the autumn”. However, the works were scrapped after just three days, when residents opposed them and claimed that they’d not been given any notice of the works.

The council held a meeting at Lowick Village Hall following the debacle, and promised to “go back to the community to talk it through and pick up any issues they may have” ahead of re-starting any works. However, it was announced on Tuesday (February 13) that the works would restart on February 26.

A speed restriction on a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order means that the limit will be reduced from the national speed limit of 60mph on a single carriageway to 30mph for the safety of the public and operatives. Though it is expected until March 24, the order is valid until September 26.

Lynsey Fairbairn, the owner of Lowick Village Store who originally raised the matter with the council due to fears a full road closure would affect her business, told ChronicleLive that though most residents were happy that the roadworks would be completed with traffic lights, rather than a closure, some were miffed at the council going ahead without talking to residents as promised.

Lynsey told ChronicleLive: “90% of people are going to be happy that there will be traffic lights, including myself, but there is a small group of people who aren’t happy at how it’s been done. The way they (the council) go about things maybe isn’t the right way to go about it.

“They promised at the last meeting that there would be a public consultation to let everybody know what was happening. They admitted they were wrong last time and they’d gone about it in the wrong way and this time, they’ve done it again. Although it’s what we want, it’s probably not in the way we wanted it.”

Lynsey Fairbairn, who owns Lowick Village Store

A spokesperson for Northumberland County Council said: “The County Council is now intending to carry out the roadworks at Lowick under traffic lights rather than road closure as originally proposed. Given the proposed traffic light solution, details of the new plans will be shared with the Parish Council, and if deemed necessary, a community meeting will be arranged.

“We understand the inconvenience this will cause and would like to thank the public for their patience while we carry out these essential works which are needed to keep the road open for the long term.”

Coun Colin Hardy, who represents the Norham and Islandshires Ward, has since arranged a meeting in Lowick Village Hall on Friday from 12.30pm with the highway manager north following the backlash.