A PREGNANT woman who is due to give birth any day has raised concerns about the closure of the bridge between Barrow and Walney.

Cumbria County Council has announced plans to close Jubilee Bridge between 11pm and 6am on Sunday and next Monday and Tuesday to allow repairs to be carried out.


Jubilee Bridge The bridge will re-open for 10 minutes at midnight and at 3am and the council has said emergency vehicles will be allowed through.

Carolyn Raven, of West Shore Road, Walney, is worried the bridge closure will delay her travelling to Furness General Hospital should she go into labour.

Mrs Raven, 40, said: “If I go into labour the plan would be for us to get up to the hospital as soon as possible, but I don’t know what will happen if the bridge is closed.

“When I first heard about the bridge closing I thought it was just for one night, I am quite worried that it’s being closed for three nights round about the time I’m due to give birth.”

Mrs Raven said that while her official due date is not for another 10 days, as this is her seventh child it is possible her son could arrive a little earlier.

She added: “I’ve not had any complications but I am classed as high risk because it’s my seventh child, so I would want to get to hospital straight away.”

However, a spokesman for Cumbria County Council said that if workers on the bridge are made aware of an emergency situation – even in the absence of emergency vehicles – they will use their discretion to allow residents like Mrs Raven through.

But Mrs Raven believes the council should have put a better plan in place to allow for emergencies.

She said: “Even if you were in an ambulance, there’s still likely to be a delay while they let you across the bridge.

“I understand it has to be done but you would think they would have a better plan in place and have advertised it more broadly.”