Keswick councillors are hoping that a puffin crossing planned for the town is moved – otherwise it could worsen snarls-up at the busy mini roundabout.
A new permanent crossing is planned between the junction for Coleridge Court and the Lakes and Dales Co-op as a condition of the £6 million Premier Inn development on the site of the former Ravensfield Residential Care Home.
But councillors want the location shifting further up High Hill to benefit the school and away from the Tithebarn Street roundabout.
It follows “major congestion” after a temporary crossing was put in place this summer outside the Crosthwaite Centre, near the Co-op to help pedestrians access the convention headquarters on the site of the former Pencil Factory.
Puffin crossings feature detectors which stop traffic for pedestrians and then turn green again once they have crossed to allow traffic to move.
But members of Keswick Town Council said the location of the lights led to major congestion with reports of tailbacks being so bad that some motorists were unable to get out of Booths for as long as 30 minutes, said Cllr Alan Daniels.
Cllr David Burn added: “If we put a puffin crossing in by the Co-op and the lights change and someone’s half way across the roundabout, that can clog up the roundabout and stop the traffic trying to exit from the Borrowdale end. “Most of the time through the summer months we have problems on that roundabout and putting a puffin crossing there would be a daft idea.”
However, Cllr Alexandra Boardman called for a “proper” traffic study to be undertaken rather than making a decision based on “anecdotal evidence.” She said some had liked the convenience of the crossing during the convention, while others had not.
Cllr Boardman said: “I do agree the need for some sort of crossing nearer the school end but before that, it would be better if someone properly analysed it. I think we should find out where we should have it and then the Premier Inn one could be moved nearer Keswick School if necessary.”
Cllr Marcus Campbell-Savours urged Keswick Town Council not to “rush” a decision in deciding a location. But the meeting was told that because it was a planning condition of the Premier Inn application it “could just happen” with no opportunity to influence where it went.
Cllr Sally Lansbury said the council needed to have a “stronger case” as to where the crossing should go and that the congestion remained long after the puffin crossing had been removed at the end of the convention.
“The Premier Inn hasn’t started building yet,” she said. “There isn’t a fork in the ground, so we do still have time.”
Cllr Paul Titley said it was a “dangerous road to cross” and that it would be a “hasty decision” to call for the puffin crossing to be done away with,
“A crossing causes congestion because so many people use it to cross the road. If such a crossing permanently causes congestion in the town then that means a lot of pedestrians need to cross the road so we should be supporting it as people in their cars can just listen to their radios for another 10 minutes while they wait.”
Mayor Alan Dunn said the danger with waiting for a survey was it could take “weeks” by which time the crossing could go in.
The council voted eight to three in support of a motion by councillor Steve Harwood to write to highways authority Cumbria County Council.
