Stockton reviews 327 alleygates after 25 years and safety concerns

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 14 Oct, 20:32 · Archive

Stockton Council is reviewing its alleygates scheme after a gate injured a resident and maintenance costs soared.

Stockton Council's community safety select committee has launched a review of alleygates after 25 years of the scheme. The council now has 327 alleygates on council-owned or adopted land, with the highest concentrations in Ropner (116), Mandale and Victoria (82), Newtown (61) and Stockton town centre (61). The gates were introduced under legislation that created "gating orders" in 2005, later reinforced by the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

The review was prompted after a gate fell on a resident and caused injury on Lawrence Street in April 2024. Professional engineers inspected the alleygates and identified failing hinges, recommending a system upgrade. Engineers estimate the cost to replace all gates would exceed £2 million. The council allocated £70,000 for emergency upgrades and now assesses gates on a six-month rota.

Reports of alleygate issues have risen significantly. The council received 28 reports in 2023, rising to 226 in 2024, 126 in 2025 and 70 so far this year. Maintenance spending has increased correspondingly, from £9,000 in 2023-24 to £43,000 in 2025-26. Richard Bradford, the council's community safety services manager, confirmed that the hinge mechanism failure caused the injury and that all gates subsequently underwent professional assessment.

How it is being reported

• £2m question over future of Stockton alleygates branded an 'eyesore' like a 'prison'After 25 years of alleygates in Stockton, are they still a crime deterrent which has stood the test of time, or have times changed?The Northern Echo · 14 Oct, 20:00
• After 25 years of alleygates in Stockton, 'have things changed and moved on?' council review asksStockton Council's community safety select committee has launched a review into alleygates, which had reduced burglaries, fires and fly-tippingTeessideLive · 14 Oct, 00:01

In this story: Stockton Council · Stockton · Richard Bradford · Lawrence Street · Ropner · Newtown

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