Last updated at 13:15, Monday, 19 July 2010

MOTORISTS have renewed calls for a road to be built across the Duddon Estuary.

The bridge call follows the announcement that the A595 is due to be closed for three weeks later this year.

The stretch between Soutergate and Bailiff Ground in Kirkby will force commuters to take a signed diversion, following the A590 through Ulverston and the A5092 at Greenodd.

Residents have slammed the decision to close the road completely while major resurfacing work takes place but Cumbria County Council have claimed it is the only way to ensure a rapid completion.

Commuters have argued the closure reinforces the need for a bridge linking Barrow to Millom.

Millom Town Councillor Brian Crawford described the diversion plans as a joke.

He said: “It’s bad enough now. For traffic to be diverted to Greenodd is a joke.

“I am 100 per cent for a Duddon crossing, I know lots of people who would back that. If we had a bridge it would not be such a problem.

“It’s still just a feasibility study at present. It will be four years before a decision is made and even then it will be 10 years before a bridge is made.”

A spokesman for Pete’s Taxis in Millom said the work would see taxi firms hit hard, as people tried avoid taking longer journeys.

He said: “I think we need a bridge, but they’ve been on about it for a long time. The next thing you know they will be digging up another road.

“I think taxi firms will be hit by this, the detour is huge.”Sue Day, president of Millom Rotary Club said a bridge would benefit the environment.

She said: “As far as I am concerned, a bridge can only be a good thing. The amount of petrol we all use going round is huge.

“It’s inconvenient for people from Millom, particularly when they close roads totally.”

A Kirkby resident, who did not wish to be named, said residents from villages across the Duddon Estuary demanded a bridge.

He said: “The majority of people I have spoken to want a bridge, not just in Kirkby, but Askam and Ireleth too.

“There are accidents on this stretch all the time. There was one at Merebeck. I had to turn back and go over Kirkby moor and through Pennington. I was only going to Ireleth. It turned a two minute trip into a much longer one.

“The scale of the problem is absolutely huge. People living in the area affected have got to get home and workers can’t stop us going down there.”

Kirkby resident Gary Grieve runs Furness Cars and Commercials with his brother, Kevin, and said the road closure will put the business under greater pressure.

He said: “With breakdown recovery, we have one hour to get to the scene. Our patch goes as far as Ravenglass and we’re hard pushed at the best of times.

“If we have to go round by Ulverston there is no chance, we would have to have men stationed on the other side of the roadworks.

“It will be a nightmare for us – there needs to be another route.”

South Lakeland District Councillor, Joss Curwen slammed the plans and said they will only emphasise the need for crossing.

“Ulverston is impossible to get through now – it won’t be acceptable to have that amount of traffic on the road.

“With the road closed it will emphasise how badly we need a crossing, not just for us, but our young people – they deserve safer roads.”

First published at 10:31, Saturday, 17 July 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk