Kirkstone Pass to reopen in time for Easter

Kirkstone Pass, which has been closed for most of March, is reopening in time for Easter. Credit: PA

A popular route through the Lake District is reopening after being closed for most of the month.

The Kirkstone Pass, which is one of the highest roads in the area, has been shut while work takes place to improve safety and make it less prone to closures in the winter.

The work has been taking place off and on for the last 18 months and was due to be fully completed in time for Easter.

However, while it will be open for the Easter holidays, it will shut again next month due to the project overrunning.

The Kirkstone Pass climbs to an altitude of nearly 1,500 feet and is frequently impacted by winter weather.

The road scheme was developed to try and make it safer, as well as better protected from flooding and other bad weather.

It includes wooden-clad environment-friendly crash barriers, which are the first of their type on a major road in Cumbria.

The full project also includes building new drainage and culverts, resurfacing, new lay-bys and signage and installing ‘catchpits’ to collect scree washed off the fells.

A further closure is scheduled to start on 16 April.

Have you heard our new podcast Talking Politics? Every week Tom, Robert and Anushka dig into the biggest issues dominating the political agenda…