THE second phase of a project to improve one of the Lake District’s busiest destinations is due to get under way.

Work has already started on highway improvements at Glebe Road in Bowness, as part of a project to make some of the Lakes' most visited areas more accessible by bus, bike or car.

The first phase of the work has created additional parking on the section of Glebe Road from Glebe Road car park to the junction of Rectory Road, providing echelon - or diagonal - parking bays.

Cumbria County Council is leading on the scheme, working closely with South Lakeland District Council and the Lake District National Park.

The next phase of the work will see improvements, funded by SLDC, to the promenade and the shingle beach area which it owns, including crown lifting on the large lime trees along the bay, new surfacing works for footways and parts of promenade, new street furniture and new planting along the highway.

Traffic will be unaffected in this area during the second phase of works, due to start in April, and it is intended that the improvements will be completed by the end of Spring 2017.

The scheme is part of the wider Optimising Connectivity project, which is being funded by the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership.

The LEP has allocated money from the Local Growth Fund to deliver the wider project.

In addition, SLDC is making a contribution of £300,000 towards the improvements on the shore area of Glebe Road.

Councillor Graham Vincent, SLDC portfolio holder for the economy, said: “The work at the Glebe is progressing well and now we are moving in to a phase of improvements on parts of the foreshore owned by SLDC.

“We are pleased to be funding this work as part of an overall investment in this world class destination.

“We have a key Council Plan commitment to help our towns to thrive commercially and as we look forward to a decision on the Lake District’s bid to become internationally recognised as a World Heritage Site it is fantastic that the Lake District National Park, Cumbria County Council and SLDC are working together to deliver real improvements at one of the most popular tourist areas in the Lakes.’’