Thirlmere West Road closure

Update 16 November 2023

Proposed permanent restrictions on Thirlmere west road

On Friday 10th November Cumberland Council granted approval of a Permanent Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) on the Thirlmere West Road.

The road has been temporarily closed since 2021 following damage caused by storm Arwen at Rough Crag. United Utilities is responsible for ensuring Rough Crag is safe, but in the two years since the road has been closed a solution to the perceived safety risk has not yet been found. The temporary Traffic Regulation Order cannot be extended any further and therefore Cumberland Council has made the decision to approve a permanent closure.

As a landscape charity, access to the landscape by foot or on bicycle or horse is one of our priorities. At the beginning of August Friends of the Lake District therefore responded to an informal consultation on proposals to implement permanent traffic restrictions stating that we would object to any permanent restrictions that prevent access for cyclists, walkers and horse riders wanting to enjoy this significant part of the lakeshore. We repeated this view in the formal consultation process in September.

We wrote a legal letter to Cumberland Council informing it of the legal implications of closing the road and highlighting that the law does not allow a TRO to be enforced on horse riders.

We also helped to publicise the public rally protesting against the continued closure of the road to walkers and cyclists at Thirlmere on 5th November to all our members and supporters.

We do not believe there has been sufficient consideration of a solution to secure the area during the last nearly 2 years. Throughout the process we have been concerned that implementing a permanent TRO would severely hinder the discussions and reduce the impetus to find a solution.

Despite the decision from Cumberland Council, we understand that it is committed to reopening the road once works have been carried out to make it safe. It has issued United Utilities with a section 151 notice which forces United Utilities to carry out the works within 28 days.

We are very concerned that now the TRO has been approved, there will be less urgency for United Utilities to carry out the necessary work. Indeed, following the approval of the permanent TRO, United Utilities has appealed the Section 151 notice due to the time constraints and requiring Natural England’s approval for any works.

We will continue to work with other organisations, such as the Open Spaces Society, to put pressure on United Utilities and Cumberland Council to reopen the road to walkers and cyclists as soon as possible. We are in regular talks with all concerned parties, including United Utilities, to try to help bring the matter to a positive conclusion.

7 September 2023

At the beginning of August Friends of the Lake District responded to an informal consultation on proposals to implement permanent traffic restrictions on the U7003 road along the western shore of Thirlmere. The road was temporarily closed in 2021 following damage caused by storm Arwen at Rough Crag.

However a solution to the safety risk has not yet been found and Cumberland Council are now carrying out a statutory consultation on the proposals for permanent restrictions. Friends of the Lake District will be objecting to any permanent restrictions that prevent access for cyclists, walkers and horse riders wanting to enjoy a significant part of the lakeshore. We also believe the route should be capable of being opened to all road traffic, in the event that the A591 on the other shore becomes blocked again by flooding or landslide. We do not believe there has been sufficient consideration of a solution to secure the area during the last nearly 2 years. Whilst we understand that discussions are still ongoing with United Utilities (the landowner) to establish a solution, a permanent Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) will severely hinder these discussions and reduce the impetus to find a solution.

The official notice is available on the council website alongside notices for other proposed traffic restrictions in Keswick. https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-transport/streets-roads-and-pavements/road-maintenance-closures-and-improvements/proposed-traffic-regulation-orders-tros

If you wish to comment on the proposals, you should write to Traffic Management Officer at Cumberland Highways or email [email protected] quoting reference KTRO/23/PNG not later than 22 September 2023.

Please note any responses received during the informal consultation process will not be taken forward as part of the statutory consultation process.

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