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Traffic problems 'costing us thousands'

Bob Cooper
BBC Cumbria Political Reporter
BBC Traffic on the A66 at Penrith, waiting to enter Kemplay Bank roundabout. Several vehicles are in the queue including two lorries, a van and several cars.BBC
Queues on the A66 around Kemplay Bank, Penrith, are putting people off going into town, business leaders say

Businesses are losing over £100,000 each Friday due to traffic congestion, according to a business group.

Darren Broad, chair of Penrith's Business Improvement District (BID), said queues on and around the A66 were putting people off coming into town.

Cumbria's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner David Allen also said gridlocked traffic was increasing emergency response times.

A plan to turn the whole of the A66 between Penrith and Scotch Corner into dual carriageway is currently under review.

Mr Broad said the BID estimated it cost each business in town £300-500 every Friday, when the traffic is at its worst, and that this amounted to over £100,000 in total.

"Penrith in effect on a Friday becomes a place to avoid," he said.

Darren Broad, chair of Penrith Business Improvement District, is standing in front of the entrance to New Squares in the town centre, wearing sunglasses and a black jacket.
Darren Broad said the road can become "like a car park"

According to Mr Broad, the problem is caused by large volumes of tourist traffic, along with freight, using the A66 at Kemplay Bank roundabout and junction 40 of the M6.

He believes traffic flow measures should be used to stop Kemplay Bank becoming "like a car park".

Cumbria's police and fire and rescue services both have their headquarters next to Kemplay Bank roundabout.

Labour's Mr Allen said, while his teams met their response targets, it took longer to get to incidents when the roads were busy.

He said: "If you were leaving police headquarters in a non-emergency scenario, it can take 30 minutes just to get 300 yards to the roundabout."

Vehicles are waiting at red traffic lights at Kemplay Bank roundabout, Penrith. There is an exit sign for Penrith at the left of the picture. A car and a lorry are waiting to exit the roundabout, heading east, while a lorry and car are waiting to enter from the A686.
Traffic lights control entry to Kemplay Bank roundabout, but some locals feel this hinders traffic flow

Some locals have suggested switching off the traffic lights at Kemplay Bank or using a yellow hatched box to improve traffic flow.

National Highways, which manages the A66, said traffic lights improved congested roundabouts and a recent inspection of those at Kemplay Bank "detected no issues".

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