Trade has ‘gone through the floor’ at businesses due to bridge closures over the A591, it has been claimed.
The chair of Helsington parish council Jamie Sunderland said local businesses in the Lyth Valley were suffering due to the closure of the bridges on Underbarrow Road and Brigsteer Road.
The two bridges were closed by Westmorland and Furness Council on June 12 as a precautionary measure after an external expert report found structural concerns.
A spokesman for Westmorland and Furness Council said: “We appreciate that the closures of both Brigsteer and Underbarrow bridges, even with the diversions, are causing an inconvenience for local communities, business and visitors.
“Due to the complexity of these half-joint post tensioned structures, the assessment programme we are delivering is essential and unavoidable in order for us to identify and deliver the best option for restoring links across the A591 whilst ensuring the safety of our road users.”
Mr Sunderland told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the 15-minute journey from Brigsteer to Kendal now takes 30 to 40 minutes due to the road closures.
He said: “Businesses not just in Brigsteer but across the valley are suffering. They’re not getting the trade coming from Kendal into the villages anymore, particularly the pubs.”
Chairman of Underbarrow parish council Peter Swindlehurst added it was a real shame for the local pub, The Black Labrador, and said: “There’s not a through road now, so they don’t get the passing trade.”
In a letter to the transport secretary Louise Haigh ,Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron called for the Department for Transport to provide emergency funding to repair the bridges.
The letter added: “I empathise especially with local businesses such as some local pubs which enjoy 50% of their trade coming from people travelling from Kendal and, if the bridges are closed long term, this potentially jeopardises their business and the security of the local people who are employed.”
A Department for Transport spokesman said it would respond to Mr Farron’s letter in due course.
A spokesman for Westmorland and Furness Council added: “Our consultants, WSP, are now finalising a peer review of Jacobs’ initial assessment report which found the bridges to be unsafe for use due to structural concerns and are undertaking further analysis of the bridges.
“The consultants are also carrying out a detailed options study and feasibility assessment that will determine possible safe and suitable solutions for the reopening of the bridges to some users.”
Mr Sunderland described the response of the council so far as disappointing and Mr Swindlehurst said the authority had been too laid back about the bridge closures.
The chair of Helsington parish council added: “To those of us that live in the valley and are affected by it, it is a big problem and Westmorland and Furness don’t seem to reflect that.”
On July 11 the council held a public meeting about the closures.
Following the meeting the council said it would work with Cumbria police to tackle reports of dangerous driving and speeding vehicles on the diversion route, review the verge maintenance work on the diversion route and introduce signage to promote safe pedestrian routes avoiding the A591.
Westmorland and Furness Council said: “We have so far delivered work to further enhance the diversion route including introducing new road signs, laying new slow and centre road markings and clearing vegetation on verges to improve visibility.
“We are also in the process of assessing the diversion routes and how they can be maintained through winter as a part of our gritting programme.
“No impact on Kendal traffic has been reported to our highways service or noticed by officers regularly out driving and inspecting the diversion route on a regular basis. Monitoring will continue to take place over the coming months via data tubes that will be installed to record road usage levels that we will compare with any historical data and make appropriate changes if required.
“We are committed to keeping our residents and local businesses updated via a monthly newsletter focused on the latest information regarding the bridge closures.”
Monthly meetings have also been arranged with impacted town and parish councils who will represent the voice of the community.
People can also call the Highways Hotline on 0300 373 3306 or submit an enquiry on the highways online reporting form at westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.
