A South Cumbrian MP has called on the new Westmorland and Furness Council to repair and adopt a Walney Island road.
The Earnse Bay road runs alongside West Shore Caravan Park and Simon Fell, Barrow and Furness MP, said several people had contacted him with concerns about it.
The MP said that the road has been used in years gone by as an access road to the beach by locals, tourists, and windsurfers.
Mr Fell’s office staff have researched the road’s ownership but cannot identify an owner, meaning that the road is unadopted.
Mr Fell is calling on the new unitary authority to repair the road to an adoptable standard, and then adopt it for future maintenance, so that it can be brought back into use. The road also has relevance for the new proposed Earnse Bay Hub as part of the £25 million Government-funded Towns Deal project.
Mr Fell said: “My team and I have carried out a large amount of research into this matter and have already been in touch with several community stakeholders. These include: Barrow Borough Council, Cumbria County Council, the Land Registry, Boughton Estates, and Natural England. They have also been communicating with well-informed residents and local councillors.
“Across the years, multiple witness statements have been collected from those concerned about the access and photographic evidence showcasing that there is consistent and historical use of the road. There is also significant concern within the caravan park community about unaddressed coastal erosion – demonstrated by the damage to the jetty and road itself in recent years.
“With all of these factors in mind, I am hopeful that the new council will consider adopting this road when it vests in April next year, so that access can be restored, and it can serve as a key link to the new Earnse Bay Hub in due course.”
Westmorland and Furness Council comes into being on April 1, when it takes over services currently run by Barrow Council, South Lakes District Council, Eden Council and the county county.
