A campaigner seeking to get the west side to Thirlmere opened up again to road users has accused United Utilities of working at a “glacial pace” to develop any access solutions.
It comes as an extension to the temporary traffic regulation order (TRO) means that the U7003 road from its junction with the A591, extending in an overall southerly direction for approximately 8.8km, will be closed until January 11. This is to enable the clearance of trees damaged or felled during the devastating Storm Arwen in November 2021.
The closure of the road has left pedestrians and cyclists no alternative but to use the dangerous A591 and they include retired accountant Mark Hatton, who regularly used the western road to cycle between Keswick and his home in Ambleside.
He says that the water company still refuses to accept that its actions in closing the road by Rough Crag exposes cyclists to the far greater risk when using the A591.
“United Utilities are still moving at a glacial pace around developing any access solutions,” he said. “They are currently working on a proposal to build a new route for walkers and cyclists that bypasses Rough Crag, involving an expensive new asphalt route down from the existing road through the trees and out into the lake, then back up to the road.
“This could easily take another 18 months to plan, permit, build and open at a cost of hundreds of thousands – costs which will ultimately find their way into water bills in future.”
Mr Hatton met with representatives of UU last week, but said it did not see any movement in the water company’s position or offer any hope that the road will ever reopen as a through route past Rough Crag.
He said that while meeting on site, a dozen or more cyclists and walkers passed by, people who Mr Hatton said were “voting with their feet and wheels” and ignoring the road closed signs, fences and gates that UU have erected on the public highway.
Mr Hatton claims no professional physical survey of Rough Crag has ever been undertaken. He claims that the only rock that fell from Rough Crag was from just 20 feet above the road, caused by a tree blowing down during Storm Arwen. He said in a letter to Richard Leafe, chief executive of the Lake District National Park Authority, that UU has not done a proper assessment “because they have always wanted this road closed so they can treat the whole area like their private garden, free of the inconvenience of having pesky members of the public visiting it.”
“This remains a deeply unsatisfactory situation in which the public are being very badly let down by United Utilities and Cumberland Highways Authority,” said Mr Hatton. “Cumberland Highways should be ashamed at the totally confusing road signage that exists around Thirlmere. There seems to be no logic at all to the ‘road ahead closed’ and diversion signs and there are still some signs that claim road closures are due to Covid-19.”
A United Utilities spokesperson said: “We understand and appreciate the frustration at the delays to reopening the road.
“However, until a solution can be found that allows the road to be navigated safely, we are not able to do so. “The health and safety of road users is of paramount importance to us. We are continuing to review the options with the local highways authority for how best to proceed and hope to be able to share plans in the next few weeks.”
