Safety concerns ignites a review of the A590

This follows years of accidents that have seen people killed or injured, and drivers caught in traffic delays that at times lead to total gridlock.

Between the start of 2014 and the end of 2019 there have been 367 crashes on the A590 that have resulted in injury, which is one reason why this meeting has been arranged.

South Cumbrian Tory councillors Matt Brereton and Anne Hall have called a public drop-in meeting to be held at Rusland Pool Hotel from 4pm to 7pm on Friday, March 6, to hear public concerns and ideas for improvements from road users and people from communities across Furness and South Cumbria.

Simon Fell, MP for Barrow and Furness, is also supporting the campaign and hopes to use his influence in Westminster to spur transport ministers into action.

Cllr Brereton said: “Countless residents tell me their concerns about the way this vital road link is managed, including obvious safety issues tragically underlined whenever someone is killed.”

Cllr Hall said: “Residents as far afield as Coniston, Hawkshead and Ambleside feel the effects when diversions are in place; people are late to medical appointments or to pick up their children, and businesses suffer because their employees, customers or suppliers can’t get through.”

Representatives from Highways England, Cumbria County Council, South Lakeland District Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner Peter McCall will all be in attendance at the group’s drop-in meeting as will members of parish, town, county and district councils across the Barrow and South Lakes area.

All residents and road users are invited to join the meeting if they can.

Cllr Brereton added: “People often say the road isn’t fit for purpose, but there’s also driver behaviour to consider. A quick fix is unlikely, but we need all agencies engaged in sorting out the problems and we also need to give residents and road users a proper chance to share their ideas and concerns.”