Member Article

Government funding for Penrith road scheme to boost local economy

The Government has given the green light to a Cumbrian funding bid for a major £2.3m highways improvement scheme in Penrith.

The upgrades to access points into the Eden Business Park and Gilwilly Industrial Estate will help unlock new business growth in the town and lead to a potential £33.5m economic boost for Eden and 730 new full-time jobs.

Cumbria County Council submitted the bid in partnership with Eden District Council and the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership to the Department for Transport’s Local Pinch Point Fund. The Government has now confirmed that the Penrith scheme has been approved as part of a £49m national package of improvements to tackle congestion

The Department for Transport will fund £1.6m for the scheme, with Cumbria County Council providing a further £307,000, Eden District Council funding £150,000 and the Cumbria LEP providing £235,000 through the Cumbria Infrastructure Fund.

The Penrith scheme comprises a package of junction improvements to improve traffic flows into and out of the Gilwilly Industrial Estate and Eden Business Park from Junction 40 of the M6. These include new feeder lanes from the roundabout into Eden Business Park from the A592 Haweswater Road which will drastically cut the average waiting time for HGVs and business traffic at the roundabout.

There will also be a new double roundabout on the B5288 Newton Rd to improve access into the Gilwilly Industrial Estate and help link the two business estates so that they can grow into the main powerhouse area for the local economy.

Improving the traffic access into this area of south west Penrith is a crucial factor in helping to unlock the development of 12 hectares of new land on the Gilwilly Industrial Estate, as identified in Eden’s Local Plan for future growth.

As well as easing congestion in the town, it will also increase the attractiveness and viability of the key urban employment area of Penrith and help bring new businesses into the area. The improvements will benefit all road users, including car drivers, HGVs, pedestrians and cyclists.

Now that DfT funding has been secured, Cumbria County Council, Eden District Council and the Cumbria LEP can rubber stamp their 30% match funding approval and the process of appointing a contractor for the works through the county council’s high value framework contractors can begin.

Major public utility diversions will be required to implement the scheme and traffic engineers will be drawing up a plan to minimise any congestion and inconvenience while work is carried out.

It is expected that construction will begin in October 2014 and be completed in February 2015. Local businesses and residents will be consulted in the run-up to the scheme and the delivery partners will also be working closely with the Highways Agency to ensure existing links with the M6 and A66 are not disrupted while work is underway.

Cllr Keith Little, Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet member responsible for highways and transport, said: “This is great news for Penrith and great news for Cumbria. By investing in these pinch points which currently restrict access into the main economic engine for the town, we can unlock future growth.

“The Government has recognised the strength of Penrith’s case and seen the potential that this site has if we invest now. All local partners have worked really hard on pulling this together and now we can work on earnest on the detail of the delivery.”

Eden District Council’s Planning and Economy Portfolio Holder, Councillor Malcolm Smith said: “I am delighted to hear the announcement today from the Department of Transport; we are supporting this work by reinvesting £150,000 of Business Rates Retention money which will improve the road network for local businesses, commuters, shoppers and visitors.

“Penrith is a thriving economic hub and these highways improvements will also help to unlock new areas for development and relieve congestion.” Cumbria LEP Chairman George Beveridge said: “The importance of what we call the M6 corridor is recognised as one of the four key areas of growth for Cumbria in the LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan.

The improvements to access at Eden Business Park and the Gilwilly Estate is exactly the sort of project which the Cumbria LEP is fully behind. For every pound spent on this scheme many multiples more will flow in through future economic growth.“

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .