The future of a Lake District road, closed since Storm Arwen in 2001, is likely to be decided soon.
The road below Rough Crag in Thirlmere has been closed since November 2001, when storm damage made it unsafe.
Storm-damaged trees, loose rocks and material was suspended on Rough Crag above the road and independent engineering specialists identified an ongoing and unacceptably high risk of rock and tree falls onto the road at the section directly below the crag that could cause significant injury.
Land owner United Utilities started work on February 26 this year on a project to reopen the road, using specialist contractors, and estimated it would take around 12 weeks to complete.
Cumberland Council released a statement yesterday, Friday May 10, which said the work had now been completed by United Utilities.
It added: “Whilst we are pleased that the essential repairs to Rough Crag have now been completed by United Utilities, along with our technical consultants, we now need to review the report and works that have been carried out to ensure that the crag has been returned to at least a comparable condition than that before Storm Arwen when the damage occurred.
“The report from United Utilities was only handed to our highways officers at the end of last week.
“As such, we are not currently in a position to make a decision formally until next week at the earliest as to whether the road is able to safely reopen.
“Although the risk of anything happening may be low, on the grounds of public safety which is our main priority and to comply with our statutory duty, it is considered that the road must remain closed until assurances are received and work has been reviewed.
“Our officers are working as fast and as diligently as possible to get the road open again, and we’ll provide further public communications once we feel it is safe to do so.”
