A COUNTY councillor has welcomed the announcement of new speed limits on two major roads.

Conservative Councillor for High Furness Matt Brereton said the reduction of the speed limits along the A595 and A5092 between Gawthwaite and Wreaks Causeway are 'long overdue'.

Work planned following traffic safety study conducted in January and February of 2020 was severely delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The changes include a 40mph through Grizebeck along the A5092 and A595, and a 50mph speed limit either side of Grizebeck to the existing 40mph at Lowick Green and the west side of Wreaks Causeway.

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Cllr Brereton said the issue was raised to him back in 2018 by concerned locals, and he requested the safety study, which recommended the reductions.

"It's a substantial stretch of road so thankfully the County agreed to go ahead and fund it," he said.

"It is long overdue - it is a stretch of road that seems to have more than its fair share of accidents.

"I haven't had too much negative feedback yet, it might be that regular road users are noticing a slight extension of journey times, but at peak times, the traffic is quite heavy on that road anyway, with, lorries wagons etcetera, so you can't often drive quickly on the road anyway. 

"The main issue is safety, which has been longstanding in and around Grizebeck. 

"At the A5092 around Beanthwaite, I've seen some fairly risky overtaking manoeuvres.

"Local residents were actually requesting that the 40mph limit should be extended further up the hill, but the argument against that was when the wagons are going up the hill, its safe to overtake them, but not if you're at 40 mph or lower.

"Also, anyone who's queried why the limit isn't 30 mph in Grizebeck itself, the larger slow-moving vehicles need a bit of momentum to travel on up the hill. 

"There is a plan at some point in the next three years to put a crawler lane up the A5092 at Beanthwaite - that would certainly be welcome, and maybe there might be some more chance of getting some funding for central government for that, given today's announcement on infrastructure spending!

"I hope drivers will recognise, acknowledge and adhere to the new limits, they are for everybody's safety."