The A590 Now lobby campaign team today welcomed the news that work on a £22 million bypass to remove heavy traffic from the villages of High Newton and Low Newton and restore them to their traditional Lakeland setting is expected to start next spring following the Highways Agency’s award of a contract today for the scheme.

For the A590 Now campaign, Stuart Klosinski of partner organisation Furness Enterprise said, “The contract award means that the detailed final design for the road is now underway and contractors will be able to start early next year in replacing the existing A590 through High and Low Newton which has a terrible accident record. Between 1988 and 2002 for example there were 15 fatalities along the route to be bypassed.” He added, “The contract award will be welcomed by the many manufacturing, export and service businesses in the sub region and by residents of the villages as the road improvement will significantly reduce accidents”.

Harry Knowles added “Laing O’Rourke recently won a national award for a new road in Snowdonia in Wales’ National Park; we are delighted they are now able to transfer that expertise to Cumbria. The Bypass has potential to generate local employment and local contract opportunities during construction, we have over the past few weeks begun liaison with Laing to identify ways in which such opportunities may be developed. It is hoped to run a seminar about them in the autumn.”

Further information can be obtained from Stuart Klosinski, Industrial Development Manager, Furness Enterprise Ltd on 01229 820611 or email sklosinski@furnessenterprise.co.uk