Residents have been campaigning for almost 50 years.

A community is pleading for new safety measures to be put in place to ease the “nightmare” of pulling out on to a busy road.

Residesnts from Overdene, in Dalton-le-Dale, have been campaigning for 49 years on the dangers from the main road traffic. | Sunderland Echo

placeholder image — Residesnts from Overdene, in Dalton-le-Dale, have been campaigning for 49 years on the dangers from the main road traffic. | Sunderland Echo

The only way to exit and enter Overdene, in Dalton-le-Dale, Seaham, is onto the B1285, which was once part of the A19.

Over the years, residents have faced numerous close calls as they leave the estate and have contacted local authorities, including Durham Constabulary, Durham County Council and local councillors, numerous times over the decades.

While the county council has agreed to introduce new road markings, it says it cannot justify more significant work because “there haven’t been any personal injury collisions at the junction in the last five years”.

Kath Smith has lived on the estate since 1991 although the fight for road safety predates that with residents campaigning for 49 years on the issue.

“We’re a tiny estate of 24 houses. Most residents are elderly and quite a few are my age in their 60s,” she explained.

The residents have a short space to exit onto the main road | Sunderland Echo

“It’s so dangerous pulling out of the estate and we’ve had so many near fatalities. I’ve been so close to being hit myself nearly four times. It’s just a nightmare.

“It’s a tiny slipway to get out of the estate and people don’t see you until it’s the last minute. Then drivers beep and swear at you like it’s our fault.

“It’s a joke that we have to put our lives in our hands just to get out of the estate. For the elderly, they can’t even walk out without help.”

The road which the estate comes onto is a busy 40mph thoroughfare.

Although the residents think the chances of having the speed limit reduced are slim, they would like the council to do more.

Residents say they have had many close calls pulling out onto the busy road | Sunderland Echo

Kath added: “Other places in Seaham are 30mph and they don’t have blind spots - we have two. I don’t think we have a chance in hell of getting the speed limit reduced to 30.

“But we think the council should extend the slip road and install large speed limit signs like they have elsewhere in Seaham. Grids on the road would help, too.”

Dave Lewin, Durham County Council’s, acting head of transport and contract services, said: “We have recently been made aware of residents’ concerns about this junction and, this week, our highways officers met with one of the county councillors for the area to discuss options.

“While it isn’t impossible to widen the B1285 at this location, the physical changes to the kerb line and the need to divert utility companies’ equipment would come at a significant cost. Given police records show there haven’t been any personal injury collisions at the junction in the last five years, we could not justify these works.

“However, we have agreed to introduce new road markings to further alert motorists to the junction.”