A596 Cumbria: Road closures amid flood prevention work

Drivers are being warned of closures along the A596 over the next two weeks, as work to tackle flooding in parts of West Cumbria reaches its final stages.

A £1.5m project, funded by the Environment Agency, is being carried out in Flimby and Maryport.

Schemes already completed include a new dam to slow the flow of water in woodland to the east of Flimby.

Cumberland Council is also resurfacing parts of the road, a major route, which will see overnight closures.

Flimby and Maryport in Cumbria were among the areas that were badly hit by Storm Desmond in 2015.

Work to divert a water main at Bragg Beck culvert started earlier this month and is scheduled to take three weeks to complete, before further flood work is carried out there and at Penny Gill.

Traffic lights will be in place on parts of the road, with drivers being advised to plan their journeys in advance.

Elsewhere, from Friday until 20 July, a council resurfacing project will close part of the road between Prospect and Aspatria overnight.

Then, from 20 to 26 July, a rolling road closure will be in place between Wigton to Thursby during the evening.

Councillor Denise Rollo thanked locals for their "patience and support" during the project and the council apologised for the inconvenience.

"By mitigating the risks associated with flooding, we can prevent the devastating impact it can have on people's lives, their homes, and their families," she said.

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