March 2010 - Adobe PDF - Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

<strong>Stockton</strong> News <strong>March</strong> / April <strong>2010</strong>
Page 3
Young volunteers
graduate with pride
Leven Bridge update
Investigation work into
the damage on Leven
Bridge, near Yarm,
showed major structural
damage.
The A1044 Low Lane/Leven
Bank Road has remained
closed since the discovery of
surface damage to the road
at the end of February.
<strong>Stockton</strong> Council has
put in place alternative
arrangements for pupils,
travelling to Conyers School.
Two additional buses will be
used to collect pupils who
would normally be on the
second bus trip. Buses will
leave Ingleby Barwick five
minutes earlier each morning
and leave school at 3.50pm
until further notice.
(L-R) Stacy Wood, Danni Lorraine, Danny Mazey, Simon Miller, Jamie
Dutton, Michaela Hindmarsh and Tom Horrocks celebrate their awards.
Pioneering young people
have been rewarded
for their outstanding
volunteering work at
a special graduation
ceremony in London.
Eight <strong>Stockton</strong> volunteers,
aged 17-22, were among
the first ever to receive the
prestigious Prime Minister’s
Award for National Civic
Service, rewarding their
immense contribution to
children and young people
services.
The volunteers were part
of Talent Year, a national
scheme, launched last year
by the National Volunteers
Service. It saw the young
people contribute 30 hours
a week, for 44 weeks in
<strong>Stockton</strong> Council’s Children
Services.
Hero’s tribute unveiled
A <strong>Stockton</strong> war hero who lost his life in Afghanistan
and was posthumously Mentioned in Dispatches has
been honoured with a commemorative bench on
the High Street.
<strong>Stockton</strong> Council brought
in specialist marine
engineer divers to fully
assess the bridge and those
investigations revealed a
severe loss of scour under
the structure, causing it to be
unstable.
It is estimated these works
will take until May at the
earliest, during which time
the road will remain closed
to all traffic except for access.
Diversions are in place and
bus operators are aware of
the situation.
Richard McGuckin, <strong>Stockton</strong>
Council’s Acting Head of
Technical Services, said:
“The works to stabilise the
underside of the bridge will
be undertaken by specialist
marine engineers.
“We appreciate the
frustration felt by motorists
who may face delays at busy
times, but we would ask
them to bear with us while
these essential repairs are
carried out. Public safety is
our number one priority.”
The tribute to Sergeant Lee Johnson, 33, of the 2nd Battalion
The Yorkshire
Regiment, was installed
outside <strong>Stockton</strong> Parish
Church, where his
funeral took place.
The Green Howards
Association in
Thornaby raised funds
to pay for the bench
and its upkeep.
The soldier’s parents,
Sandra and Alan
Johnson (pictured),
were first to sit on the
specially made bench,
which bears a plaque
reading: ‘From friends
and family. Never
forgotten.’
The Hub is open
<strong>Stockton</strong>’s new centre
for active travel, The
Hub is open.
The Hub – a partnership
between the Council,
Sustrans and NHS <strong>Stockton</strong>on-Tees
– provides free cycle
storage, advice on walking
and cycling routes and cycle
maintenance classes.
The aim is to get more
people walking and cycling
as part of their everyday life.
Based on Bridge Road
in <strong>Stockton</strong> town centre
(opposite the Thomas
Sheraton pub), The Hub is
open from 7:30am – 6pm,
Monday to Friday. For more
information, call (01642)
803441.
To find out more about
cycling in the Borough, visit:
www.doitbycycle.com
A full report on the official
opening of The Hub will
appear in the next <strong>Stockton</strong>
News.