Council leaders have given an assurance that police are to focus ‘some resource’ on attempting to resolve traffic and road safety issues being experienced around Station Street and St John’s Street in Keswick.
The Reminder reported last month that Tim Fisher, who runs the Northern Lights Gallery on St John’s Street, highlighted continuous “failures of infrastructure” which has led to vehicles travelling the wrong way down the one-way street outside his premises and coaches causing chaos as drivers follow their satnavs and come down into town from the A591.
He wrote to Cumberland Council leader Mark Fryer and the authority’s chief executive Andrew Seekings pointing out that the problems were set to be heightened with the opening of the new Greggs bakery on Station Street which would see a greater number of pedestrians in the area.
Mr Fisher has now received a reply from Mr Seekings in which he gives an assurance that the police are aware of drivers and cyclists contravening traffic restrictions – signage on both sides of the road and a ‘No Entry’ marking – introduced at the junction of St John’s Street and Derwent Street as part of a package of active travel measures in the area. He said that at a partnership working meeting in June the police had agreed to focus some resource on enforcement.
Mr Seekings suggests that any additional video footage of vehicles contravening the traffic signs be submitted to the national police operation referred to as “Operation Snap” on its national dash cam safety portal (nextbase.co.uk).
The one-way restriction on Station Street and St John’s Street was temporarily introduced in 2020 and Mr Seekings said this was generally considered “a significant improvement” for the safety of pedestrians. It was introduced permanently in 2022 following consultation with stakeholders and local residents.
The letter adds: “The 20mph speed limit was also introduced temporarily as part of the package of active travel measures in the area.
“The expiry of the Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) for the 20mph speed limit was not followed by a permanent TRO. Having checked the site, my officers have confirmed that there are currently no signs on site that indicate this to be the case.”
Mr Fisher continues to gather pictorial evidence of the driving practices of motorists unaware of or confused by the street signage.
He says that the letter fails to address the issues that are being experienced by people living and working in the area which are:
l The frequency of vehicles travelling the wrong way down the Station Street/St John’s Street one-way system which equates on average to one car per hour;
l The signage from the A591 is not good enough as it is allowing coaches to arrive at the cinema – the junction of Derwent Street and St John Street.
In his reply, Mr Fisher has invited Mr Seekings “and any of your lieutenants” to his gallery on a fact-finding mission.
