Carlisle Southern Link Road to open after three years of works
Construction on the Carlisle Southern Link Road (CSLR) began in June 2023
A senior Cumberland councillor has welcomed news that a long-awaited major £225million route to the south of Carlisle will be fully open to traffic from tomorrow (Friday, June 12).
Construction on the Carlisle Southern Link Road (CSLR) began in June 2023 but the idea was first floated more than 10 years ago when the then Carlisle City Council made an application for St Cuthbert’s Garden Village.
Councillor Denise Rollo (Harrington, Labour), the sustainable, resilient and connected places portfolio holder, said she was pleased that it will be fully open and added: “It’s absolutely great to have it open and I know that the residents have been waiting for this and obviously we appreciate people’s patience in getting there.
“But obviously it’s an important part of infrastructure for Carlisle. Apart from helping to reduce congestion around that area of Carlisle it’s obviously the unlocking of the garden village. We’re open. It’s going to make a difference to people.”
She said the fact that it linked to the M6 was an added advantage and she added: “It’s not only that it’s all the cycle paths and everything that comes with it.”
Cllr Rollo said that the delays to the project were mainly ‘weather related’ and added ‘we can’t always rely on Cumbrian weather’. She said: “We’ve had two of the wettest years and the construction companies are bound by the weather, aren’t they?”
Having said that she said that contractors and subcontractors had ‘battled on’ to complete the project and added: “They have done an absolutely amazing job. Just getting us to this point.”
Councillor Mark Fryer (St Johns and Great Clifton, Labour), the leader of Cumberland Council, said: “We can now start to realise the long-term benefits of this government-backed investment, from improved connectivity and reduced congestion to new opportunities for jobs and homes.”
Former Carlisle MP John Stevenson was involved in the early years when he met with ministers to discuss funding from the then Conservative Government. He said that funding was secured from a £3 billion pound pot, but it was only around £120 to £148million.
He described the project as Carlisle’s ‘very own M25’ and added: “It has taken 10 years to achieve this, but it is a huge opportunity for Carlisle and North Cumbria.
“Indeed, this is on top of other capital funding which has come in over the last 10 years – namely the Borderlands Fund for the University, the station redevelopment and of course the changes to the city centre with the High Street fund and additional funding. In total nearly half a billion pounds worth of investment has come into Carlisle.”
A launch event will take place at 10am on Friday (June 12), with the road expected to open to traffic later that afternoon once final safety checks are complete.
The new five-mile route, running south of the city, between junction 42 of the M6 and the A595, is one of the biggest transport projects the city has seen in decades.
The road will remain closed to the public until after the ceremony and final checks are complete.
The council has emphasised that, until then, the route is still classified as a construction site.
The CSLR includes four new roundabouts and multiple bridges spanning the River Caldew, River Petteril, the West Coast Main Line and the Cumbrian Coast railway.
The scheme also features a shared-use path, along with dedicated crossings for cyclists and pedestrians.
Once open, the CSLR will create a continuous east-west route between the M6 north and south of Carlisle.
It is expected to significantly ease pressure on the city centre and change traffic patterns on key radial routes.
The council is encouraging drivers to follow on-the-day signage, with some minor traffic management likely to remain in place near junctions and side roads as contractors complete final elements.
For many residents, the opening marks the end of years of discussion, planning, and disruption – and the start of a new era in Carlisle’s transport network.