The much anticipated road has been delivered ahead of schedule and on budget by Cumbria County Council and its contractor partner Connect Roads.

The 8.25km/5.13-mile route will not only reduce journey times through Carlisle but will massively reduce the number of HGVs and other vehicles travelling through the city centre. The new road starts from the Wigton Road (A595) to the south west of Carlisle, follows a route around the west of the city crossing the River Eden near Stainton and the West Coast Main Line at Kingmoor. The new road layout will allow easier access to West Cumbria from the roundabout at Junction 44 of the M6 rather than having to travel through Carlisle city centre providing better links to Scotland and the North East. 

The road opened to traffic on Tuesday 14 February 2012. 

The combination of both building the new road and maintaining existing roads is the first PFI (Private Finance Initiative) project of its kind for a local authority in the UK. The contract has been made possible thanks to Department for Transport approval of £158m worth of PFI funding for the scheme. PFI (also known as PPP, or Public Private Partnership) works by the contractor financing the construction of the new road, and then recovering the capital cost over the 30-year life of the contract.

What are the benefits of the Carlisle Northern Development Route?

We have been preparing this scheme for some years and it is our top priority major transport scheme due to the numerous benefits it brings, including:

• Improved transport links between West Cumbria, Scotland and the North East. By connecting the M6, A689, A69, A7 and the A595, the CNDR will remove through-traffic from Carlisle; 
  
• Reduced congestion and shorter journey times in the city;
  
• Improved economy and employment prospects in the area by helping attract new jobs, particularly at the Kingmoor Park business site.

What has been constructed

• Other structures include 15 flood relief culverts, 4 underpasses and one farm accommodation bridge.
• Surfacing works, white lines, street lights and safety barrier installation.
• Drainage culverts, pipes, ditches and ponds

View maps showing the complete route around Carlisle and a gallery of progress images.