New stretch of road could speed up journeys in south Cumbria

Looking North down the A595 from Chapels; the new proposed route of the A595 through Pen Hill. Credit: Cumbria County Council

A drop in session will be held next month giving more information about plans for a new stretch of road in south Cumbria.

The 1.4km single-carriageway stretch will run between Chapels and Grizebeck, near Kirkby-in-Furness and to the east of the existing A595.

The council says the change will speed up journey times and improve safety.

Councillor Keith Little, CCC cabinet member for highways and transport, said the new road would 'boost the county's economy' and 'create a safer road from Barrow to West Cumbria'.

The county council has now entered the 'detailed design phase' of the project.

A drop-in session on the scheme is to be held at Grizebeck community hall on Wednesday, March 1 between 2pm and 6pm.

The public will be able to view plans and hear updates on the proposal.

Staff from the county council, Story Contracting and design firm WSP will be in attendance to answer questions.

Councillor Little said the event would 'really bring the plans to life' and 'help the public and businesses to see the full extent of the scheme'.

"I'd like to encourage people to take the time to pop in and see the teams," he said.

Alan Boyle, construction director at Story Contracting, described the planned scheme as 'vital' for the area.

"As well as delivering a new road, we are keen to create employment and opportunities for local residents, so we are looking forward to meeting people at the drop-in event," he said.

Funding for the scheme, for which planning permission has been granted, has been provided by CCC, the Department for Transport, and Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). Cumbria LEP is a collaboration between councils and the private sector.

Alyson Armett, Cumbria LEP board member, said on a previous occasion: "The route is a key component of the county's transport infrastructure, and its upgrade will provide a welcome boost to our efforts to help grow Cumbria's economy and secure new investment opportunities.

"We will continue to work with regional leaders, local communities, elected officials, MPs and businesses to make major improvements to our transport infrastructure that will help Cumbria to deliver on its growth ambitions."

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