A FUNDING bid for the improvement of links to Workington’s key industrial sites has been endorsed by councillors; but not without the council’s highways boss expressing disappointment at Government’s lack of support.

Cumbria County Council’s Local Committee met in Lillyhall on Friday and members were asked to endorse a neighbouring authority’s bid for Government funding.

Allerdale Council is in the process of submitting an application for funding from Central Government’s Levelling-Up Fund and if approved, cash will be used for highways improvements in Workington, strengthening links to the town’s key industrial sites. Some funding will also be used for changes under the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.

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The developing proposal includes widening the junction at Ramsey Brow, increasing its capacity and improving access from the strategic highway network into town, Port of Workington and employment sites to the north.

Highway realignment would be carried out at Hall Brow, improving HGV movement as well as development of the walled garden at Curwen Park as an attraction and enterprise hub.

Councillors unanimously supported the bid but the county’s cabinet member for highways and transport Keith Little said: “There’s nothing we can do other than support this but I have to say, this will be the third, possibly fourth application that will be put to Government and previous ones have just been rejected without any consideration at all.

Cllr Little said: “There’s a huge amount of time been spent on this by both county council officers and no doubt Allerdale officers but I think it’s a real shame this because it would be a huge improvement to that area of the town and also supporting HGV vehicles on the east-west journey from the Port of Workington over to the east coast.”

He said that the only option is to support the bid but “it’s very disappointing” that Workington has missed out in the past.

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Cllr Little said: “It’s ironic isn’t it, Cumbria County Council lost £40 million out of our highways capital improvement programme which Michael Gove in his wisdom has now decided to put into his Levelling-Up Fund and offers county council the opportunity to bid-in to repair potholes, it’s just ludicrous.”

But Cllr Mike Johnson took a different view: “My understanding is that for the Levelling-Up Fund this is only the second submission, last time we submitted this it was a priority two, we’ve now been moved up to a priority one.”

The leader of Allerdale Council continued: “After our first submission in the priority two round of Levelling-Up funding, we got some very good feedback from Government.

“That’s why it was decided we would submit the same proposal on this second round because we feel it easily could be successful this time and it will make significant in-roads, access to the port and improvements at Ramsey Brow.”

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