Reconstruction of one of the Lake District’s most important principal routes – which partially collapsed during recent heavy flooding – is set to complete at the end of May, the Transport Secretary has announced.

 

Patrick McLoughlin (pictured left with Jim O'Sullivan of Highways England) said that restoring the A591 at Dunmail Raise between Keswick and Windermere is a “vital part of our plan to get Cumbria back on its feet” after December’s major storms.

 

Kier Highways has been appointed to carry out the road rebuild and a temporary crossing  of the site for use by public transport will be installed at the start of next month.

 

Highways England is currently overseeing survey work to identify further measures required over and above the rebuild at Dunmail Raise. The name of a preferred contractor to deliver repairs to the north of the collapsed section of road will be announced shortly.

 

Cumbria County Council leader Stewart Young said: “Getting this road reopened and fully repaired is critical to Cumbria’s economy and we already know the extent of the impact closure is having on residents and particularly on businesses.”

 

The council has also announced that work to install a temporary road crossing at Pooley Bridge in Cumbria will begin at the end of this month and complete before Easter. 

 

On Sunday Robert Goodwill, the Government’s flood recovery envoy for Yorkshire, announced that a rebuild of Elland Bridge in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, will receive £5.5M of Government funding and a temporary footbridge will be installed nearby. Last week the Minister said Government would pay £3.3M to repair Tadcaster Bridge in North Yorkshire and build a temporary footbridge.

 

(Photo: Department for Transport)