by Gillian Ellison

Published at 15:46, Wednesday, 19 November 2008

MAJOR disruption was faced by motorists when a section of the A595 was closed without a diversion.

Resurfacing work was carried out during four nights last week at New Mill, near Gosforth, and the road had to be closed between 10pm and 6am. But the only possible diversions ranged from about 65 miles (over Wrynose and Hardknott passes, which are not suitable for all vehicles or all weather conditions) to about 125 miles (back to the M6 and via Penrith).

“People down here were like prisoners, you had to be back home by 10pm,” said Copeland and Seascale parish councillor David Moore.

“It was a major disruption with no alternative route. For the County Highways there was no alternative because there was no other route. But there could have been better consultation before closing it.”

A legal notice was published in The Whitehaven News on November 6 detailing the temporary closure between New Mill Farm to Boonwood junction. And the county council says it consulted 30 different organisations, none of which raised any issues.

Whitehaven News readers returning on an 18-hour coach trip from France were delayed for nearly an hour waiting for the tarmac to set on one night.

“In the long term there definitely needs to be investment in that route,” said Coun Moore. “It is not acceptable to have closure of a route that when closed the only detour for HGVs is 120 miles back to the M6 and to Penrith.

“There needs to be an upgrade of the A595 or put an alternative route in, there needs to be that investment.

“We are looking at major investment coming as part of the nuclear industry, so there has to be something on the table for the local infrastructure.” Coun Moore, watch manager at Seascale Fire Station, said emergency vehicles had access through the roadworks.

David Polhill, clerk to Gosforth Parish Council, said closure of the road as a result of either roadworks or an accident was an ongoing problem.

“Local parish councils are up in arms about this and desperately trying to get someone to take it on board,” he said.

“This should be dealt with as a matter of urgency, this is supposed to be the lifeline to West Cumbria.”

Ranald Stewart, chairman of Ponsonby Parish Council, said: “We have had to live with this problem for many years. We have asked for this road to be improved. When downgrading took place from trunk road status we all opposed it. There is a feeling of total frustration.”

A Cumbria County Council spokesman said: “This important resurfacing work started on November 10 for four nights and the road was only closed between 10pm and 6am to cause minimum disruption to motorists.

“Signs went up one week before the work started with additional notice on site three weeks or so before that for the closure and the Traffic Regulation Order.

“We also consulted with more than 30 separate organisations, none of which came back with any issues.”

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk