Mayor of flooded Copeland community calls for government visit

THE potentially life-threatening state of a road which cut off an entire community during flash flooding has been brought to the attention of national government.

Copeland’s mayor, Mike Starkie, has called on the secretary of state for transport to visit Millom and Bootle and witness first hand the impact of the A595. Mr Starkie wrote to Chris Grayling following the torrential rain which, on Monday, left Bootle residents facing a 100-mile detour to get to their nearest main town in Whitehaven.

Mr Starkie said: “Where else in the United Kingdom would that situation be allowed to happen?

“This impact is greatly heightened when one considers that the Sellafield nuclear plant sits between Bootle and Whitehaven. Sellafield is Copeland’s major employer and workers wishing to travel to it from south of Bootle would be unable to do so.

“It is also very important for me to point out that, in the event of an emergency at Sellafield, a road closure would greatly impede evacuation and, of course, emergency vehicles - with potentially devastating consequences.”

The A595 had to be closed between Duddon Bridge and Bootle on Monday, after a morning of continuous rain left it impassable. Mr Starkie said the flooding on Copeland’s main road caused a “devastating” impact.

He called for the stretch of the road south of Calderbridge, which was de-trunked in 1988, to be reclassified so that the government takes responsibility for it rather than Cumbria County Council.

Mr Starkie said: “Copeland is on the brink of the building of the Moorside new nuclear project, which will again add considerable pressure to the traffic that the A595 has to take on a daily basis.

“The situation regarding the A595 is not new. Over many years there has been much disquiet in Copeland in respect of the lack of good road infrastructure.

“The time though has surely come when action needs to be taken and there needs to be government intervention. Real discussion, planning and subsequent action needs to be taken.”

Mr Starkie visited Bootle on Tuesday to meet residents whose homes had been flooded.

He said: “Severe damage to their properties and possessions was a very sad situation to witness and my heart goes out to all the residents adversely affected.”