27-07-2025
Calls for road safety improvements along busy Brampton route
A CALL for road safety improvements along a busy residential Brampton road was made at a meeting this week.
Members of Cumberland Council's highways and transport strategic board met at Allerdale House in Workington on Thursday (July 24) where Colin Lindsay, From Paving Brow in Brampton, was given the opportunity to speak.
He said the road had become busier over the past 25 years, with the route used by HGVs, but pedestrians were forced to walk on the carriageway as there were no pavements or verges.
Mr Lindsay said tests had shown the average speed by motorists using the road was 35 mph and there were a number of blind bends where accidents had occurred in the past – including one incident where a car went through a hedge.
He added: 'Regretfully, from previous discussion with the police several years ago, they declined to send officers as the road was deemed to be too hazardous.'
According to the report, which was discussed after the public participation part of the meeting, it was recommended that the board noted that the issue of speeding by traffic proceeding in a north-easterly direction on Paving Brow, Brampton, was being passed on to the police for enforcement.
In addition, it was recommended that members agreed to investigations taking place into the feasibility of providing a smaller pedestrian warning sign suitable for mounting on a lighting column at the Paving Brow/Tarn Road junction end of Paving Brow and members agreed both recommendations.
Mr Lindsay was told by a council officer that there were two collisions along the road in the last five years but it was unknown whether excess speed was a contributing factor.
In a statement from councillor Mike Mitchelson (Brampton, Conservative), which was read out as he was unable to attend the meeting, he said that he supported the concerns over pedestrian safety and he would also support extra safety measures to be introduced.
Councillor Roger Dobson (Corby and Hayton, Lib Dems) highway safety was the number one concern for one of the council's community panels and he would support the 20mph speed limit for the road which cllr Mitchelson was calling for.
Councillor Barbara Cannon, (St Michaels, Labour) the financial planning and assets portfolio holder, wondered if other measures such as rumble strips could be installed?
She was told that rumble strips could disturb patients being transported in ambulances to a nearby cottage hospital and Mr Lindsay suggested that, as well as the 20mph limit a priority lane system could be introduced.
