A £10 million project to stabilise and improve a section of the A595 in West Cumbria is set to start.
An embankment which supports the main road at Moresby started to slip and a fault in the drainage made the problem worse.
Plans include rebuilding the embankment – using 25,000 cubic metres of material which will be shipped in via the Port of Workington – improve drainage, plant trees and create a pond to filter water before it enters Lowca beck.
Work will be carried out in two phases. The first phase is due to start later this year and will be carried out mainly away from the road. The second phase is expected to begin around Easter next year.
The second phase will mean the road will be closed to traffic.
National Highways is leading the project and will hold five drop-in sessions for people to discuss the scheme.
Steve Mason, National Highways senior project manager, said: “We have been closely monitoring the area around the A595 at Moresby as the ground supporting the road has been slipping. A fault in the drainage has made this worse.
“To make the A595 safer for everyone who uses this route, we’ve developed a £10m scheme which enable us to improve the drainage and stabilise the embankments.
“This scheme is ambitious and this is why we’re encouraging people to visit our engagement events, find out more about our proposals and have their say. This will help us to shape the scheme so, as well as improving safety, it will create a better environment around this area.”
The engagement sessions will take place at:
- Monday 3 October – Solway Hall Whitehaven, Lowther Street, Whitehaven
- Wednesday 5 October – Cleator Moor Civic Hall & Masonic Centre, Jacktrees Road, Cleator Moor
- Thursday 6 October – Gosforth Public Hall, Gosforth, Seascale
- Friday 7 October – Workington Town Council Community Centre, Princess Street, Workington
- Friday 14 October – The Kirkgate Centre, Kirkgate, Cockermouth (Cockermouth presentation times will be from 11am to noon, from 1pm to 2pm and 3.30pm to 4.30pm)
There will be three drop-in sessions throughout the day: from 11am to 12pm, 2pm to 3pm and 6pm to 7pm.
There will also be online webinars where National Highways will present the proposals and answer questions. These will take place on:
- Thursday 20 October 6pm – 7pm
- Friday 21 October 10am – 11am
