Highways chiefs are being urged to ban commuters from a busy fell road.

Cold Fell Road – an eight-and-a-half-mile minor road that connects Ennerdale Bridge and Calderbridge – is “ridiculously overused”, says county councillor Tim Knowles, and is making the lives of residents “a dangerous misery”.

Now he is calling on Cumbria County Council’s highways team to restrict its use to access-only, to prevent commuters to Sellafield – and in the future Moorside – from using it.

He said: “The number of users are likely to be increased at a time when the government is cutting the money for road maintenance, especially for a road that’s classified as a ‘minor road’. Enough is enough.”

Cold Fell Action Group has long-campaigned for a safer road, and in 2011, saw the speed limit reduced to 40mph. The group’s chair Bob Jones says speeds have fallen and the number of accidents involving livestock reduced. Sellafield Ltd – a founder of the Action Group – also points to a reduction and adds that it “encourages workers to drive in a safe and courteous way”.

However, Coun Knowles claims that the situation is still problematic. He added: “Despite really positive attempts to get respect for a driving code on fell roads, livestock are still being injured and killed and this beautiful corner of the Lake District used as Grand Prix track for crewbuses and workers’ cars.

“It is time for action. The road receives next-to-no funding in comparison to the use it gets. The county council’s constantly reducing highways budgets cannot sustain keeping the minor roads around Cold Fell in an acceptable state to carry what will be an ever-increasing burden of Sellafield/Moorside traffic.

“As there is absolutely no sign of improvement, I will be looking to find a way for these roads to be redesignated for restricted use, access-only and therefore not available for Sellafield/Moorside commuting.”

Coun Knowles will be taking his proposal forward to the council’s Local Committee for Copeland.