New speed limits approved for A595 road development in Furness

New speed limits will be brought in on a fresh stretch of road that is being built in Furness.

The A595 has been undergoing improvement works between Grizebeck and Chapels, creating a new single carriageway road.

Westmorland and Furness Council was awarded £23.3m by the Department for Transport in 2024 to go towards the scheme.

New speed limits have been consulted on for the fresh stretch of road, as well as updated limits for the already existing roads in the area.

Council officers proposed 40mph and national speed limit sections on the new A595, 20mph along the C5013, 20mph along the C5014 Buckthorn Lane, 20mph along the U5985, which is the former A595 that has been reclassified, and 40mph along a different part of the C5014 Buckthorn Lane.

Councillors on the South Lakeland Locality Board considered the proposals at its meeting on Thurdsay, April 16.

Chair, Liberal Democrat councillor Suzanne Pender of Consiton and Hawkshead ward, said it was ‘really great’ to see the proposals coming to council, and congratulated local members for their ‘great work’ in getting it through.

Conservative councillor Matt Brereton of High Furness ward, where the works are taking place, thanked the council officers for their ‘comprehensive report’ on the scheme.

He said that, as members of the public had raised, the speed limit on the new A595 changing from 40mph to 60mph and back to 40mph again was ‘a concern’ and stressed that speeds on the road should be monitored.

Though Cllr Brereton did acknowledge that speed cameras have been built into the new road, and said that the council may decide further down the line that a 50mph speed limit may be preferable to the national speed limit, as a consultant had raised.

But he added that to ‘only have six comments’ on ‘such a major scheme’ showed how robust the report was.

He added: “I am happy to see it finally coming to fruition.”

Councillors took a vote, passing the speed limit proposals.