Schoolchildren and elderly residents have been forced to walk along Egremont's busy bypass after the town was split in half following last week's flash floods.

Many residents living on the south side of Egremont Bridge, which was closed for safety reasons after being battered by raging waters, have faced daily walks along the bypass – which does not have a pavement.

Stephen Lester, business manager at West Lakes Academy, said he had "real concerns" with the situation.

"A number of students who do live that side are walking along the side of the grass verge," he said. "It's a concern. We want our students to be safe getting to-and-from home."

He hopes if the bridge is to remain closed in the coming weeks that the county council will put in place alternative provisions, such as lighting and a walkway along the grass.

Another casualty of the floods is Carol Kendrick, owner of Tiny Toes Nursery at Ennerdale Mill Business Park.

"We are losing business because we usually walk children over the bridge to school at Bookwell and Orgill and there's no safe way to get them there," she said.

Mrs Kendrick said busses have also stopped serving the nursery's side of the town, so one member of staff has to get off at Thornhill and walk back to the nursery.

It's not just people living the south side who have been affected, as Andrea Steele, who lives at Orgill, works on the opposite side of the bridge and is also walking along the dark bypass to start her early morning shift.

"With the bridge being closed I have to go onto the busy bypass where it's pitch black as there's no lighting there," she said.

"There's also no path so quite dangerous and scary when you can't see at that time of morning (4.30am)."

It took her an hour to walk home on Monday due to the heavy traffic.

Mike McVeigh, Copeland councillor for Egremont south, has criticised the county council for the way it's handled the situation.

"There just seems to be no urgency about it from the county council and I have had no communication with them at all – it's not good enough," he said.

"If this had happened in a more prosperous part of the lakes, it would have been sorted by now and that's a great concern to me.

"It's extremely dangerous walking along the bypass as there's no pavements."

A spokesman for Cumbria County Council said yesterday: "The council is reviewing the situation and is in discussion with West Lakes Academy.

"A bridge inspection is anticipated today, if the bridge remains closed the council will consider whether further steps are necessary to support pupils travelling to school."