Plans to improve a junction on a major West Cumbrian road have been revealed.
Residents, businesses and road users are being urged to have their say on the latest proposals to improve the A595 around the Bothel area.
Under the proposals, the Greyhound Inn/Torpenhow junction will change from an existing crossroads into a staggered priority junction with ghost islands.
Cumbria County Council, which has launched the consultation, said it will allow traffic to wait at the ghost islands before turning right into the minor roads.
As a result, the flow of traffic and safety will be improved, it added.
It said the alteration to the junction, plus lowering the existing height of the Torpenhow road and a section of the A595 will also improve forward visibility from each of the side roads.
The proposed improvement is part of a wider scheme to improve 5km of the A595 from Cock Bridge to Threapland junction.
The A595 Bothel Strategic Improvement scheme also includes
Climbing lanes to the south west of Bothel in both directions
• Reconfigured A595/A591 junction
• Realignment at Overgates
• Offline realignment between Kirkland Green junction and Cock Bridge/Torpenhow junction
People were asked for their comments on that scheme in November 2018 and last June.
The feedback from that identified that the Greyhound Inn/ Torpenhow junction was seen as a priority for the local community.
More consultation is planned for the spring, and the county council said a planning application will be submitted later this year.
The entire scheme has yet to be given the green light, and it has not secured funding from the Department for Transport.
However, it received a £5 million boost from the Government last month.
Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership is administering the Government’s Getting Building Fund and it agreed to give the scheme £5 million.
It will allow the authority to carry out more design work, survey and data collection and environmental assessment to allow the submission of a planning application and other statutory processes necessary to make the scheme ’shovel ready’ should full Government funding be agreed.
Some of the cash will be used to reconstruct the A595 Greyhound Inn/Torpenhow junction, the authority said.
Keith Little, Cumbria County Council cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “Improvements to the A595 within the vicinity of Bothel is a really important scheme, which will not only improve journey times and help boost the county’s economy but also create a safer and more resilient road network.
“The county council has been working on the design for the junction improvement and we are now launching a further round of public consultation.
“I’d strongly encourage people to take the time to get involved, read the consultation document and give us your feedback – it’s important that local people have their say, so we can develop the best possible scheme.”
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, it will not be possible to hold face-to-face public meetings.
Instead two virtual question-and-answer events will be held via Microsoft Teams on:
• Monday, January 18, between 2.30pm and 4pm
• Wednesday January 20 between 5.30pm and 7pm
Visit cumbria.gov.uk/A595Bothel for more information.
The consultation will close on Wednesday, January 27.
People can also give their feedback by going online at cumbria.gov.uk/A595Bothel.
Printed feedback forms are being distributed to local residents and can be returned for free to:
FREEPOST, CUMBRIA COUNTY COUNCIL
