People in Cleator Moor, Arlecdon and Frizington will soon get the chance to shape directly the future of travel and transport in their area.
Cumbria County Council's Local Committee for Copeland today agreed to pilot a new way of identifying and prioritising travel improvements called Community Travel Plans with Cleator Moor, Arlecdon and Frizington chosen as the first area to spearhead the process.
Community travel plans look at local travel needs for people living and working in communities for now and in the future.
Residents and local community groups can have their say about local travel and transport issues and work towards reducing the impact of travel on their quality of life.
The plans look at all aspects of travel, including walking, cycling, public transport and the safe use of cars.
The concept has already been operating successfully in Allerdale where more than a dozen communities have been involved in developing Community Travel Plans unique to their requirements.
If the Cleator Moor, Arlecdon and Frizington Community Travel Plan is a success, more residents in Copeland could be given the opportunity to have a direct say on highway improvements in their area.
County councillor Ronnie Calvin, Chair of the Copeland Local Committee, said: "The Community Travel Plan process is designed to tackle the issues that are relevant to the people living and traveling in the local area.
"People are given an opportunity to have their say on what improvements they would like to see in their Community Travel Plan and then asked to help draw up a list of priorities."
Over the coming months, residents in Cleator Moor, Arlecdon and Frizington will be invited to a series of public meetings where they will be given the chance to produce Copeland's first Community Travel Plan with the help of Cumbria County Council highways engineers.
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