A £5 million improvement scheme for a section of the A595 has been officially opened.
The new road layout at the A595’s Bothel and Torpenhow junction includes a new turning lane to help reduce standing traffic.
The project was initiated by Cumbria County Council, and Cumberland Council has been responsible for the improvement work to the Greyhound Inn/Torpenhow junction on the A595 between Bothel and Torpenhow.
Cumberland Council worked closely with Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership , which supplied funding through the Government’s Getting Building Fund.
The reconstruction was seen as a priority for the local community following consultations held in previous years.
A Cumberland council spokesman said: “The new junction layout at this location vastly improves road safety by providing turning lanes to remove the need for standing traffic. It also provided a high-quality improvement to reduce travel times, improve reliability and protect and enhance the natural environment.
“Residents and businesses now have better access to the north including Carlisle and the M6 as well as to West Cumbria, thereby supporting the local economy.”
Cumberland councillor Denise Rollo, executive member for sustainable, resilient and connected places, said: “I am delighted that the Torpenhow road junction is now open, as the A595 is very important for connectivity between Carlisle and West Cumbria.
“I would like to thank all the locals and commuters for their patience while we have made these road improvements, and also thank our local contractor Story Contracting for all their hard work, and the CLEP for their funding investment – this road will help to make people’s lives not only safer, but a little bit easier on a daily basis.”
Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership chief executive Jo Lappin added: “Cumbria LEP was pleased to invest £5million into the Torpenhow Junction to improve connectivity and safety on the A595, a route which is a strategic priority for the partnership.
“Importantly, the junction responds to feedback from local communities and will help improve journey times in Cumberland.”
