QUESTIONS are again being asked of why almost £900,000 of taxpayer's money has been spent on matrix road signs which aren't displaying information on a south Cumbria road closure.

Highways England installed motorway-style electronic signs in March 2015 on the A590 but they are not being used to inform motorists of the current A592 closure.

READ MORE: Windermere engineering work closes busy route for several weeks

United Utilities has shut a section of the busy route during work on a new sewer from Glebe Road to the waste water treatment works at Tower Wood. Traffic is being diverted for those wanting to reach Windermere.

However, the information has not appeared on the two A590 matrix signs which are on the Dalton by-pass and just off Brettargh Holt.

A local motorist contacted the Evening Mail after intending to drive to Bowness but only noticed temporary signs informing him of the closure as he was approaching the A590/A592 junction.

He said: "What is the point of having such a no doubt costly sign when it fails to display important up to date information that it was designed to do?"

Businessman Keith Devlin, who owns Ironwerx Gym in Barrow, has long been annoyed by the inactivity of the signs.

He said: "This is exactly what it should be used for.

"It's been an absolute waste of money. It's a staggering cost.

"All it ever says is that it takes 38 minutes to get to junction 36 on the M6."

The A592 closure started on Monday January 3 and the engineering work is moving along in sections of around 300 metres from Tower Wood towards Low Moor Crag. It is expected to last until April.

Highways England spent £155,842 on design and preparation work and £741,523 on construction work for the two signs which were part of a combined programme of work.

However, they are just used to give information about incidents, congestion or live journey times along the strategic road network.

A Freedom of Information request submitted by the Evening Mail found the Dalton by-pass sign was activated only nine times in its first eight months .

Highways England response


Temporary signs at the A590/A592 junction A spokesman for Highways England said: "The A592 is a county council road and the closure at Windermere is part of long term United Utility works.

"As part of our regular liaison with the council and utility companies, a comprehensive package of measures is currently in place along the A590 to advise drivers of the work along the A592.

"The measures include hard signs giving closure and diversion advice at Newby Bridge roundabout, as well as portable variable message signs and other signs in advance of the roundabout along both the westbound and eastbound carriageways.

"We understand the closures have also been well publicised by both United Utilities and the county council. However, we welcome feedback from drivers and we will see if there is anything further we can do to support their publicity."