Last updated at 14:06, Tuesday, 19 June 2012

CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after a transport minister committed £500,000 to push on with plans for a roundabout at a fatality-hit junction.

Transport minister Mike Penning made the commitment to begin designing and planning the roundabout on the A590 in Greenodd at a meeting with local MPs and campaigners yesterday.

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron, who was at the meeting with Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock, said it was “brilliant news” for people in Greenodd and Cumbria.

Last week the Highways Agency had announced there would be no funding available for the scheme, estimated to cost £2.15m. But now the minister has agreed to commit £500,000 towards a design and plan for the scheme.

Mr Farron said: “Subject to that the roundabout would be built and would become a community scheme to be built in the 2013/14 year.

“In one sense, you don’t promise that amount of money if you are not going to do it in the end.”

In the last five years there have been 16 accidents at the junction of the A590 with the A5092, prompting residents to lobby for a roundabout.

Despite having promised a roundabout back in 2009, the Highways Agency said the scheme was no longer considered a priority but the minister was swayed by the campaign run by the MPs and local people, Mr Farron said.

Mr Farron, who said he would take nothing for granted until the roundabout was actually complete, added: “Until it is built, you shouldn’t do a jig really. We are going to keep up the pressure.”

Also at yesterday’s meeting were Janet Willis, Low Furness councillor for Cumbria County Council, and Cartmel county councillor Rod Wilson, as well as Mark Southern, the owner of Penny Bridge Hall Estate.

Mr Woodcock said: “Getting 25 per cent of the funding on the table now is an encouraging advance in the long campaign to make this notorious accident blackspot safer, but no-one will rest until the diggers go in.”

Residents and campaigners also welcomed the news.

SLDC councillor, Sue Sanderson, said: “We are really pleased because everyone has been concerned about it for a long time and that junction has caused a lot of accidents.

“All the parish councils in the area have all had concerns and have been working together to achieve this.

“The next step is to try to get the speed limit reduced on the A590 between Haverthwaite and Backbarrow.”

Penny Bridge resident Archie Workman, who has campaigned for the roundabout, said: “It is going to save a lot of lives, without a doubt. The whole village was about to go into a campaign of action about it. This is great for the town, great for Ulverston and great for the A590.”

First published at 13:34, Tuesday, 19 June 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk