Accident Hotspot Junction in Hartlepool Branded a Collision Hotspot, As Council Plans Action....

A689 Stockton Rd Hartlepool

Council plans to close off the accident blackspot junction that's been the scene of a number of road traffic collisions...

4th November 2025 17:45pm

A stretch of the a busy dual carriageway in Hartlepool has been officially acknowledged by Hartlepool Borough Council as a dangerous accident hotspot. According to the Council’s own report, the section of the A689 at Stockton Rd near to the Esso Service Station has reportedly seen two serious crashes and five further minor collisions, raising major concerns over road safety and driver behaviour in the area.

According to the Council report, the accidents have been attributed to two main issues, one being Dangerous right-turn manoeuvres & Excessive speed on the dual carriageway... The report, which is set to be presented to councillors of the Neighbourhood & Regulatory Services states that Drivers attempting to turn right into or out of the petrol station are being forced to cross fast-moving traffic. Worse still, some motorists have reportedly been stopping in the fast lane of the A689 while waiting to turn — a manoeuvre described as both dangerous and directly linked to the collisions recorded.

Local residents had previously warned the council prior to planning permission being approved for the filling station that the increase of road accidents was likely to occur.

Petrol Station Access Under Scrutiny

The petrol station’s location and layout have come under direct criticism within the report despite locals previously sounding legitimate objections to the construction of the service station citing concerns over the potential increase of traffic collisions on the busy stretch of road.

With those warnings going unheard by the local council which in 2023 was declared an authority with no public confidence, Officials have now undertaken a major U-Turn & warned that “dangerous manoeuvres” being carried out by drivers entering and exiting the forecourt are playing a significant role in the accident patterns recorded.... This ultimately confirmed what many local residents and regular A689 users had been saying for years: that the set-up simply wasn't safe.

Council’s Proposed Fix: Closing the Central Reservation

To address the issue, Its claimed Hartlepool Borough Council now plans to introduce a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) that will Close the central reservation gaps, as well as Banning right-turns to and from the petrol station, a move which will also prevent drivers from waiting in the fast lane to turn across traffic...

Physical barriers will also be installed to stop vehicles attempting to cross the central reservation illegally — something Council Officials admit would otherwise “defeat the object” of the safety plan.

Cost to Taxpayers

The improvement works come with a £50,000 price tag, and while some residents may question the cost, others will likely argue that preventing further collisions — and potentially saving lives — makes it a necessary investment despite the council being warned repeatedly from locals that the very collisions they were trying to avoid was to happen.

With Hartlepool Borough Council formally recognising the danger at this location and finally taking steps to prevent further accidents. Many will be questioning why its taken so many road traffic collisions to occur for Hartlepool Borough Council to act, despite legitimate concerns being raised by members of the public even before the petrol station was constructed, with the number of accidents a testament to the fact that many locals have been proved right once more, not only that they warned Hartlepool Borough Council of the impending accident blackspot they were creating, but also the fact that the Authority of no public confidence once again failed to listen...

Until it was too late !.