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Construction of the A590 High & Low Newton bypass at a cost of £35.3m began on 26th July 2006 when Mary Long, the village's oldest resident and Claire Fletcher (11) the youngest, undertook the cutting of the first pieced earth on the line of the new road.It will be completed on 8 April 2008. |
"In Cumbria the A590 provides the lifeline from the M6 to the industrial areas around Barrow."
Department of Environment Regions and Transport - Source: DETR July 1997. What role for trunk roads in England? |
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"Poor transport is poor economics...We will build more bypasses to bring relief to beleaguered communities." |
| John Prescott MP, Deputy Prime Minister, 13 Dec 1999 |
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"There is a justified and compelling need for the by-pass to ease traffic generation, reduce danger to road users and improve the environment for local residents. This need cannot be met by any reasonable alternatives." |
| Secretary of State for Environment ,1994, Decision folowing public inquiry in 1993 |
- The A590 is the most heavily trafficked Trunk Road in Cumbria. It carries up to 19,000 vehicles each day.
- Between 1995 and 2001 the volume of traffic going through High and Low Newton increased by nearly 6%.
- On the A590's first 24km from the M6 west towards Newby Bridge, the only unimproved length until 8 April 2008 was the 3.8km through High and Low Newton.
- 22% of all fatalities on the 34mile A590 over the past 5 years have occurred on the 3.8km length through High and Low Newton.
- At High and Low Newton Pedestrians have on average between 3 and 6 seconds to cross the A590 due to the high volume of traffic.
- Nearly 2,000 lorries pass through High and Low Newton each day. 14% of all traffic going through High and Low Newton is heavy goods vehicles
- Cumbria's 1999 annual average daily traffic count shows 14,200 vehicles (14% HGVs) at High Newton.
- High Newton has a fatal accident ratio well above the UK average. 6 People died there between 1999 and September 2003.
- 2 public inquires held in 1977 and 1993 concluded there is a compelling need for a High and Low Newton bypass.
- The 1993 High Newton Bypass public inquiry predicted a bypass would save 11 fatal, 93 serious and 253 slight injuries over 30 years, and concluded there is a compelling need for the new bypass.
- A further public hearing into draft Regional Planning Guidance held in February 2001 concluded the bypass should form part of the NW Regional planning policy priorities and be delivered as a regional priority scheme by 2007.
- NW Regional Assembly policy (adopted in 2003) is for the High and Low Newton bypass to be delivered as a regional priority scheme by 2007.
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