Busy Penrith Link Road Closed Until November

Mile Lane will be closed to all traffic as well as pedestrians and cyclists from Monday morning (12th August) until early November to enable the laying of a new high voltage cable along the length of the road.

Westmorland and Furness Council granted a temporary traffic regulation order to enable Electric Northwest to close Mile Lane to vehicles and pedestrians for three months to carry out work along the full length of Mile Lane.

The traffic order prohibits all traffic (i.e. vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists), from proceeding along Mile Lane, from its junction with the B5288 Greystone Road and the junction with the A66.

A suitable alternative route for vehicles will be signed and available via the B5288 Greystone Road, A592 and the A66.

Mile Lane forms a busy link road between the A66 and the West of Penrith including the town’s industrial estates is set to be closed between the 12th August and the 1st of November to enable Electricity Northwest to carry out the installation of a new high voltage mains cable between Newton Road and the A66.

The work will then see another stage take the cable under the A66 and along Redhill’s lane between the A66 and the A592 near Rheged between October and December.

Earlier work by Electricity Northwest on Greystoke Road and along Newton Road to Netwongate Substation was completed in June.

The work to install the new cable will replace cables currently carried via overhead pylons in the area is part of Electricity North Wests capital infrastructure upgrade work and will help with increased local grid capacity and connectivity including connections for future solar farms like the planned Westmorland and Furness Council solar next to Rheged between the A66 and Redhills lane.

Due to the width of Mile Lane and nature of the works Electric Northwest have said “it is not possible to maintain access for pedestrians and dismounted cyclists through the extents of the temporary road closure.

Access for Emergency Vehicles will be maintained where required for the duration of these works.”

The road will be closed from its junction with the A66 to the junction with the B5288 Greystoke Road from the 12th of August to the 1st of November.

Local businesses along the lane will be accessible but may be subject to some delays and diversions depending on the stage of works underway and will be subject to local direction by contractors at the time.