Schools to close early for A66 crash funeral

Supt John Wrintmore from Cleveland Police said there was potential for traffic disruption and delays from 15:00 to 17:00 BST on Friday.

“This will affect areas of South Bank, Normanby Road through Teesville, Ormesby and Marton, and Acklam Road,” he said.

“We are aware of some school closures in the area and have liaised with partners in the local authorities regarding the expected disruption today.

“Any decisions made by schools or other services to close has been a decision made by those organisations in isolation, and has not been a police recommendation.

“We are working closely with highways departments from the local authorities, who are leading on the traffic management for this event, in order to minimise disruption.

“There will be a proportionate visible police presence in the affected areas to ensure public safety, in line with our plans for any significant gathering.”

A spokesperson for Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council said: “A number of schools in the South Bank area will close earlier than usual on Friday afternoon due to anticipated traffic congestion and transport disruption associated with a local funeral taking place in the area.

“The decision was made after careful consideration of the potential impact on home-to-school transport and the departure of pupils, staff and families at the end of the school day.

“Schools have worked with the Local Authority and transport providers to consider arrangements for pupils, including those who travel to and from specialist educational settings.

“We recognise that early closure may cause inconvenience for some parents and carers, and we thank them for their understanding and cooperation.”

The decision comes after a vigil last week, for one of the young men who died, was followed by disorder in Haswell, County Durham, where a number of cars were set on fire.

The incident prompted criticism from MPs and police.

The Volkswagen Passat involved in the collision was being pursued by police until 10 seconds before the crash, according to the police watchdog.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct said the Passat was believed to be using cloned registration plates.

Police said a total of 24 people had been arrested as part of a wider police operation against organised crime, following the crash.

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