Highways Agency

The Project

The A595 between Parton and Lillyhall is an important part of the trunk road network connecting West Cumbria and the towns of Whitehaven and Workington with the M6 motorway at Penrith via the A66.

The existing road carries more than 17,000 vehicles a day, and passes through several local communities. The road is narrow and winding with a high number of junctions and is heavily congested.

The proposed route is 5.1 kilometres long, starting at the A596 junction at Lillyhall. This junction will be brought up to dual carriageway standard to the junction with the A597. A new bypass will then be built to the west, bypassing the villages of Distington, Common End and Howgate before rejoining the A595 north of Parton.

Public Inquiry

The Draft Orders for the scheme were published on 1st March 2005. 39 Objections in total were received and a Public Inquiry was convened from 22 November 2005 at the Lakes College, Distington. Mr David Woodrow was the independent Inspector appointed by the Planning Inspectorate.

The Inquiry was reconvened on 7th March 2006 and closed the same day. The Inspector then prepared his report and made his recommendations to the Secretary of State for Transport. The Secretary of State announced his decision on 25th July 2006 to proceed with the published scheme and make the draft Orders. These were subsequently made on 3rd August coming into force on 18th August 2006.

Notices to Treat and Enter were served on landowners and tenants before Christmas 2006 and the Highways Agency have now secured the land needed to build the scheme. Work began on site in January 2007 as trees and other vegetation were cleared.

What's happened so far since the start of works?

All the main bridges are now complete with the exception of Distington Overbridge which will be completed in late November/early December 2008. The Distington Overbridge requires the final surfacing and the approaches need to be laid. The bat guidance bridge ( a cable structure crossing a specified area to enable bats to echo locate along it) has been erected to allow bats to continue their usual flight paterns. Road surfacing is progressing well with approximately 85% laid and the remainder scheduled to be laid and finished by late November.

The new Northern roundabout has been opened allowing the diversion from the A596 to be removed. The construction of the new roundabout at the junction of the A595/A597 is now approaching completion and we hope to remove the temporary traffic lights in early November. The Southern roundabout construction is also complete. All that remains to be finished are the tie-ins to the existing A595.

The installation of safety barriers, street lighting and signage has started. Ecological ponds and the carriageway drainage balancing ponds are well under way. Landscaping has started in all areas of the scheme and will continue over the coming months.

What's happening next?

Over the summer period it was hoped progress would be more advanced. Unfortunately, this has not proved the case with a very wet summer having an effect on progress and the road completion date that is not going to be as originally planned. Over the next few months we hope to complete all the carriageway works. It is planned to open the road before Christmas 2008 - subject to weather conditions.