New £800,000 road safety scheme to start on A585: what it is and when it starts
The A585 near Singleton is to get four new speed cameras as part of a road safety initiative - at a cost of £800,000.
The initiative will involve the stretch of road between the Windy Harbour junction and junction 3 of the M55, with the safety improvements work due to start in the new year.
Four new ‘average speed’ cameras will be installed on the A585, along with signage, with the new safety measures designed to encourage road users to stick to existing speed limits.
During the installation process some site-specific and localised roadworks will be needed but these will be done overnight or in off-peak periods during the day between 9am and 3pm
The A585 is one of three key routes in Cumbria and Lancashire which are sharing in a £9 million investment in road safety projects across the North West, involving the new cameras and road signs.
It is hoped the projects - also including the A590 and A66 in Cumbria - can cut road traffic collisions as National Highways works to reduce killed and seriously injured (KSI) casualty figures.
Work on the first of the three projects – along a six-mile section of the A66 between Dubwath and Cockermouth – starts today (Monday 9 December) This scheme is also costing £800,000 and involves installing four average speed cameras at key locations.
The work is expected to be completed by the end of January with a break during the Christmas holiday period.
An 11-mile section of the A590 between Ayside and Brettargh Holt roundabout, also in Cumbria, is due to start in the new year.
A total of 15 new average speed cameras and associated signing will be installed along the A590 in a £1.61 million project.
What they say
National Highways project manager Amy Gaskell said: “We routinely assess the performance of our motorways and major A roads to ensure they are operating as safely and as smoothly as possible – and we’re always exploring ways to improve safety on our roads and to listen to the concerns of local communities
“Using collision data we’ve identified sections of the A590, A66 and A585 which we think will benefit from measures to slow down drivers and ensure they stick to existing speed limits - for their own safety and the safety of other road users including local residents.”
National Highways has launched a webpage for updates on the safety projects which includes information on traffic management.