Vital A591 in Cumbria to be restored by May
THE storm-damaged A591 in Cumbria is set to reopen by the end of May, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has announced.
The important Lake District tourist route, which stretches between Grasmere and Keswick, has been closed between St Johns in the Vale and Dunmail Raise since December following significant damage caused by storms Desmond and Eva.
The Transport Secretary made the announcement on his second visit to the A591 in as many weeks.
Highways England has been brought in to deliver a full and permanent reinstatement of the road, to enable it to be reopened as soon as possible.
It says it is currently overseeing the complex survey work required to fully identify any further measures required, over and above the repair needed at Dunmail Raise, to allow the road to be fully reinstated. Once identified, the work will be managed and delivered by Highways England and its contractors.
McLoughlin also announced that Highways England had appointed Kier Highways to repair the section of the road which has collapsed at Dunmail Raise. The preferred contractor to deliver repairs to the A591 north of Dunmail Raise alongside Thirlmere will be announced following the completion of these urgent assessments.
McLoughlin said: “Restoring the A591 is a vital part of our plan to get Cumbria back on its feet after the devastating floods caused by the recent storms. Tourism is an essential part of the local economy and I am pleased that work is underway to repair this major route between Grasmere and Keswick.
Leader of Cumbria County Council Stewart Young said: “This is extremely welcome news and we are grateful to the minister and Highways England for taking on the full and complete restoration of the A591.
“Getting this road reopened and fully repaired is critical to Cumbria’s economy and we already know the extent of the impact closure is having on residents, and particularly on businesses. Now we have a date for repairs being completed our businesses and our residents will able to plan properly for the future.
“In the interim we are working on plans to have a public transport link in place to connect Keswick and Grasmere by the start of February which will utilise the temporary road we are constructing up the east side of Dunmail Raise. This will be in place until the full road reopening.”
In addition to the work on the A591 other repair work continues. At Pooley Bridge, Cumbria County Council announced this week that it will put in place a temporary road bridge by Easter.
Costing nearly £300,000, it will be funded from the £40m, pledged by the Government for rebuilding local transport infrastructure for flood-affected areas in Cumbria and Lancashire following Storm Desmond and Storm Eva.
The Council confirmed that installation of the new bridge would start by the end of January with the aim of having it open to traffic by Easter, sooner if possible.
