A multi-million-pound project to improve a key Cumbrian road has begun.
The £23.3 million scheme, funded by the Department for Transport, aims to enhance the A595 at Grizebeck, a vital route in the county.
The project will create a new single-carriageway between Chapels and Grizebeck Village, with the goal of improving road safety and reducing journey times.
The two-year project will also see the construction of a new overpass, maintaining village access for communities, and a dedicated underpass for agricultural vehicles.
New junctions will be built, bus stops improved, and a dedicated space for cyclists and pedestrians will be created.
The project aims to remove current pinch-points on the A595 which cause frequent congestion.
Councillor Peter Thornton, Westmorland and Furness Council cabinet member for highways and assets, said: "Our investment in the A595 at Grizebeck highlights our commitment to improving transport links for our more rural areas and addresses the immediate needs of residents who have called for this scheme.
"This will improve safety between Barrow-in-Furness and West Cumbria.
"It will also reduce the chances of hold-ups on this route and make journeys more reliable.
"The well-being and interests of communities, visitors and road users will be at the forefront of our works, and necessary measures will be taken throughout to minimise the impact of the scheme as best we can."
The council has also conducted extensive ecological surveys to identify wildlife activity and the presence of key species in the area, to ensure their population continues to grow.
Wildlife corridors will be created and maintained to support the movement of animals through the area, and sections of ancient hedgerows will be relocated.
Nesting features will be introduced including bird boxes, bat roosts, hedgehog nest boxes and an artificial otter holt.
Badger tunnels underneath the new highway will also be constructed, along with fish passes in watercourses and otter ledges within culverts.
The council is also committed to planting one tree for every resident in Grizebeck using appropriate native species.
Councillor Giles Archibald, Westmorland and Furness Council cabinet member for climate, biodiversity and environmental services, said: "I’m pleased to see that biodiversity has been a key focus and consideration of this major project, reinforcing our core council value to be ‘ecologically aware’.
"As a council, our commitment is to ensure the planting of at least one additional tree or metre of hedging per resident during the life of this administration.
"The tree planting earmarked for this scheme will bring a range of benefits to our natural environment and our local communities, helping to create a greener, healthier and more resilient Westmorland and Furness for all."
Story Contracting Limited, a Cumbrian-based company, will work with the council to deliver the scheme.
Alan Boyle, director of Story Contracting’s construction division, said: "Story Contracting is very proud to have been chosen to deliver this critical infrastructure project for Westmorland and Furness.
"As a Cumbrian contractor, we appreciate the importance of securing funding to improve the county’s economy.
"We are also committed to employing and developing local people, working with local schools and colleges to attract young people into construction, and supporting local charities and organisations.
"Our motto is to ‘Do It Right’ and our team are excited about the opportunities this scheme will bring for the area."
For updates and developments on the A595 Grizebeck improvement scheme, visit the Westmorland and Furness Council website or follow them on social media.
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