A project to tackle congestion and pave the way for new homes and jobs near Ulverston in Cumbria will start next spring.
Highways England is constructing the new roundabout along the A590 at Cross-a-Moor south of Ulverston. It is expected to cost around £7 million with partnership funding from Highways England, Cumbria County Council, Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and South Lakeland District Council.
The new roundabout will replace the existing staggered junction with Main Road running south off the A590 and Pennington Lane running north of it. Preparation work is scheduled to start in spring with the main construction work following in the summer.
Steve Mason, Highways England senior project manager, said: “This new roundabout is a significant investment in the infrastructure of the Furness peninsula. It will reduce congestion and improve safety on the A590 and local road network as well as supporting the creation of new jobs and homes. We’re aiming to keep the road open during construction – certainly during the daytime – and minimise any inconvenience to drivers and other road users.”
Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government Luke Hall MP said: “We’re supporting transport improvements in Ulverston by backing this project with a Local Growth Fund investment of over £900,000. It’s great news that the roundabout will solve ongoing congestion problems, as well as unlocking new homes and jobs, which will improve quality of life for the community. By investing in transport infrastructure across the country, we’re making all our towns great places to live, work and visit.”
Councillor Keith Little, Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “I’m delighted with this announcement. We’ve worked closely with the LEP, South Lakeland District Council and Highways England on this over a number of years, and it’s fantastic news for Cumbria that this funding is now secured. If the county is to meet the demands of our growing population, attracting more new businesses and welcoming more visitors, we need to improve and enhance our infrastructure. The new roundabout will make big difference, and is vital to unlocking the economic and commercial potential of Ulverston and surrounding areas.”
Steve Curl, Board Member for the Cumbria LEP, added: “We are delighted to provide Growth Deal and Cumbria Infrastructure Fund subsidy to support this project, which will generate significant economic benefits in Ulverston, South Lakeland and more widely, South Cumbria. It will unlock much needed new housing for our residents. It will importantly help our recovery from the economic impacts of COVID-19 by making Cumbria an even more attractive place for people and businesses to locate and grow.”
South Lakeland District Council portfolio holder for Economy, Culture and Leisure Councillor Robin Ashcroft said: “The council’s contribution to the junction improvements demonstrates our commitment to support growth in the local economy, deliver new employment opportunities and improve the lives of people living in this area.
“We have a key council commitment to help create new affordable homes for rent in South Lakeland by 2025 and the housing being planned for that area of Ulverston represents about 20% of all the new homes to be built in the entire district. Improving the Cross-a-Moor junction will be a critical component in unlocking these developments by improving accessibility to help SLDC to deliver its wider plans and ambitions.
“Improving safety on this busy stretch of the A590 will also help ensure that the local transport infrastructure is better protected, which is vital for maintaining strategic connectivity to the M6 corridor, attracting new investment and supporting business growth.”
Highways England’s contribution to the project has come from the Government’s growth and housing fund, a special fund earmarked to support the creation of new homes and jobs by tackling congestion ‘hotspots’ acting as a brake on economic investment. The fund is part of the Government’s £27.4 billion investment in the country’s motorways and major A roads in the five years from April 2020.
