CAMPAIGNERS have called on the government to hand over control of a busy main road to Highways England.

Robin Cornah, secretary of the A595 Action Group, wants a section of the road between Calder Bridge and Barrow to be handed over from Cumbria County Council to the national body so that it can be made into a trunk road.

The A590, A66 and the A595 north of Sellafield are all designated trunk roads owned by Highways England but Mr Cornah wants the whole of the A595 to become a trunk road which will create a complete ring of main roads across South Cumbria.

According to the action group, this would properly connect Barrow with Copeland and prevent bottlenecks at Grizebeck where the A590 meets the A5092.

He said: "As an action group we have been saying for a long time that we need a ring main around Cumbria. The A595 needs money spending on it and Highways England will be able to fund that."

Calls to improve the troubled road have been echoed by Copeland's elected mayor Mike Starkie and the A595 action group are supporting him in their bid to get Highways England to take control of the road.

Mr Cornah said: "We have the support of both MPs, Highways England and numerous people on the county council but we need to get money and priorities for the road earmarked as soon as possible. We back Mr Starkie 150 per cent and we think developing the ring main is the logical thing to do."

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