AERIAL drone footage has captured progress along the £212 million Carlisle Southern Link Road (CSLR) development.

The Cumberland Council project, currently the largest in the portfolio of engineering company Galliford Try, aims to enhance connections between the south of the city and the M6, linking junction 42 of the motorway to Peter Lane.

The construction site, which sees 263 daily workers, is set to support the delivery of St Cuthbert's Garden Village, a 10,000-home plan. 

November marks the 18th month of construction on the 8km long road, and as winter approaches, the pace of earthworks is expected to slow, according to Cumberland Council, lending way to landscaping works. 

This includes planting trees, shrubs, and hedgerows along the new road.

November will also see the delivery of prefabricated steel sections for the east side and central spans of the new Caldew Crossing.

Works will also include street lighting to the north link of the new Durdar roundabout, installation of permanent fence lines, and road pavement layers to the south link of the new Durdar roundabout.

Several road closures remain in place: 

  • The Dalston Road closure remains in place with progress being made following the completion of work by Electricity North West. 
  • Grace Lane remains closed allowing third-party service diversions to be undertaken which are progressing well. For the duration of these works, the bus stop at Cloverfields has been moved 200yds North to reduce interface with the necessary traffic management on Dalston Road and the junction with Peter Lane
  • A section of Ratten Row remains closed to undertake earthworks and drainage operations associated with the Southern Link for the new Durdar roundabout
  • Cumberland Council has said it is ‘too soon’ to provide a date for the reopening of Ivegill Road after the discovery of a privately owned sewer had a ‘serious impact’ on work. Another update will be provided in December. 

Fully signposted diversion routes are in place for the duration of all closures.

Construction work on the Carlisle Southern Link Road began in June 2023 and is due for completion in late 2025.