Traffic problems on a busy school road have been described as “absolute hell” and “complete carnage” by two leading councillors.

Mayor of Whitehaven, Brian O’Kane and councillor Carl Walmsley are among those to voice concerns over the amount of traffic in the Red Lonning area, near Campus Whitehaven, which houses St Benedict’s Catholic High School and Mayfield School.

The road is gridlocked during peak times and Coun Walmsley fears there will soon be a serious accident.

Coun O’Kane says the situation is also a “complete nightmare” for residents living on the nearby estates.

He said: “It’s absolute hell. It’s an ongoing problem.

“At Red Lonning, people park on the back end of the estate and then the residents can’t park and then it backs on to Jericho.

“The whole parking situation up there becomes a complete nightmare and nobody is doing anything about it.”

Coun Walmsley, who represents Whitehaven South on Copeland Council, has tried to organise bus transport from the Mirehouse estate to the school, after the Stagecoach service was scrapped last year, but was unable to do so due to insurance costs.

He said: “The school bus issue has been ongoing for a few years now causing all sorts of problems - parking being one of them.

“Obviously no school busses equals more taxis and parents forced to drive on the school run.

“The whole area is absolute carnage at school times and a good hour leading up to them, and is unfortunately, a accident waiting to happen.

“ I’ve heard of lots of near misses already and dread the day something worse happens.”

Councillor Graham Roberts said he would raise the issue with the Copeland Highways Working Group.

"The traffic management at the moment is not good enough," he added.

Emma Jackson, headteacher at St Benedict’s School, said: “We are of course concerned about the traffic situation and the safety of our pupils and the whole school community.

“We are always willing to engage with external agencies, such as the highways department to help solve the issue.”