
Westmorland and Furness Council is investing in vital resurfacing works on the A591, Windermere, as part of its multi-million-pound highways improvement programme.
These works at ‘Alice Howe’ are essential safety improvements and will address the current condition of the road to improve safety for the road user, particularly its skid resistance and surface texture.
To minimise disruption and ensure the resurfacing scheme is delivered both safely and efficiently, the resurfacing works will take place overnight, on weekdays only (Monday to Friday), between the hours of 7pm and 5am from Monday 3 February until Tuesday 18 February.
Access for emergency services will be maintained by the site teams wherever it is possible and safe to do so. There will be no access for cyclists or pedestrians over the road surface during the overnight closures, but the adjacent footways will remain open.
The need for these essential safety improvements has been identified through Westmorland and Furness Highway’s proactive safety inspections of their 2,600 mile network. The inspection data prioritises sections of road most in need of upgrades based on factors such as any safety risk, usage, surface age, and visible signs of deterioration.
To maintain safety standards and address immediate need on this stretch of the A591, the Alice Howe resurfacing scheme needs to go ahead now as a priority.
The scheme starting next week is limited to the essential work to ensure the safety of this stretch of road and is separate to the larger highways improvements planned as part of the Windermere Gateway Project.
The Windermere Gateway highways work – which was approved by the Lake District National Park Authority's Development Control Committee in November - is at least a year away from starting on the ground.
Windermere Gateway will provide new housing (including affordable housing) and employment opportunities and the associated highways work would involve junction remodelling on the A591 to improve access to the land at Orrest Head Farm.
Westmorland and Furness Cabinet Member for Highways and ICT, Councillor Peter Thornton, said: “This section of the A591 carries millions of vehicles each year, making it essential that we act on the findings from our technical assessments to keep our road users safe and moving.
“While we recognise that more comprehensive work is planned on this stretch of the A591 as part of the Windermere Gateway project, it is very important we carry out this resurfacing scheme now to address identified priorities on safety and the condition of the current road surface.
“The resurfacing has been scheduled overnight during weekdays only to minimise disruption and I’d like to thank road users for their patience and cooperation whilst we deliver this scheme.
“Our council is fully committed to maintaining a safe and reliable road network and will continue to monitor and address issues as part of our comprehensive highways management strategy, which was approved at Cabinet last week.
“We understand the frustration deteriorating roads cause for our local communities and visitors to the Westmorland and Furness area, and our programme is focused on delivering long-lasting improvements that meet their needs.”
• More information on the Windermere Gateway Project can be found on the Lake District National Park website: Windermere Gateway : Lake District National Park