A Cumbrian MP joined Tebay residents and businesses at 10 Downing Street to hand over a petition which calls on changes to be made to controversial plans to partially close junction 38 on the M6 for four years.
Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, was joined by local residents Charlotte Iniff and Steve Crook as well as Westmorland Family chair Sarah Dunning and Jonathan Capper, the managing director of Lyon Equipment, to hand over the petition.
The proposed closure is part of National Highway's plans to rebuild the Lune Gorge bridges, which are located between junctions 37 and 38 on the M6.
Mr Farron said: “Of course we absolutely agree that the work that engineers are doing to rebuild bridges across the motorway is vitally important. No one would dispute this.
“However, the disruption set to be caused by these closures over the next four years will have devastating impacts.
“This will include significant damage to tourism in both the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales, as well as huge delays for people living in Tebay, Orton, Grayrigg, and other villages near the junction, and to local businesses in the area. And it will see motorway traffic being diverted through the already under-strain Kendal and Kirkby Stephen town centres.
“Building temporary slip roads would keep the junction open, reduce these enormous impacts, and allow this essential project to still go ahead.”
The petition, which has been signed by more than 5,500 people, calls on changes to the plans to partially close junction 38, which will see the Northbound section closed for two years and the southbound section closed for the same amount of time.
Ms Dunning, chair of the Westmorland Family who own Tebay Services and Junction 38 Truckstop, added: “Keeping Junction 38 fully open in both directions is vital for local communities. These works can and must be carried out in a manner that respects and protects local people. Lack of connectivity can erode communities irreparably over such a long time.
“It is no overstatement that the welfare of these communities, and the wider economy of Cumbria, is under threat if these works go ahead without keeping Junction 38 fully open.
“Nobody is disputing that the bridges need replacing but the closure of junction 38 is going to hurt businesses, residents and farmers who use the junction as part of their everyday life. Businesses will suffer, children's education will be disrupted by delays, and emergency services will be hampered by the delays."
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