County Council asks Roads Minister to visit County

Cumbria County Council Leader, Rex Toft has written to the new Roads Minister, David Jamieson asking that he visits Cumbria as a matter of urgency to discuss major Roads issues such as the detrunking of the A595/A5902 and the A65 as well as essential improvements and the dualling of the A590. The request follows the cancellation of a visit scheduled for the 8th July by former Roads Minister John Spellar and the Council's Cabinet latest consideration of issues relating to the detrunking of a number of roads in the County. 

Council Leader Rex Toft explains: 

"The A595 and the A5092 are the transport lifeline of West Cumbria and they must be protected, maintained and promoted at every opportunity. This Council has raised an objection with Government to their plans to detrunk part of the route 

If detrunking does occur we have no assurances that the money for maintaining the road will be fully reflected in any forthcoming roads budget we would get from Government, and given the desperately poor settlement we received last year I remain extremely concerned. I believe detrunking sends out the wrong message. It downgrades the importance of this route. This road provides a strategic link to other major routes that go beyond Cumbria and is key to the economic and social well-being of the area. 

I am aware that Copeland Borough Council oppose the de-trunking and are seeking a public inquiry. I am writing to the Minister to add our support and to ask him to visit Cumbria as a matter of urgency to witness at first hand the importance of improving our transport links. 

John Spellar was going to come Cumbria to discuss with the Council and other agencies the need for the dualling of the A590 and we wanted to press him for a commitment that it would be included in the Government's long-term plans. You can only appreciate the importance and difficulties of that route if you travel it yourself so I hope David Jamieson makes an early visit. And it won't be the only thing we'll be talking to him about. 

Whilst we've withdrawn our objection to the detrunking of the A65 we need a commitment that the full cost of annual maintenance will form part of our highways settlement year on year. To date all we have is an assurance regarding the award of a special grant. As with any detrunking the money for maintaining the road must be fully reflected in any forthcoming roads budget we get from Government. I will also seek the support from both the Conservative Shadow Transport spokesman, Tim Collins, and the Liberal Democrat spokesman Don Foster".