An additional drop-in event has been organised for 10 November, to help people learn more about proposals to improve pedestrian and cycle access to the Sandgate area of Penrith town centre.
Draft designs have been drawn-up for improvements at various locations along a route linking Beaconside Primary School and the Scaws area of Penrith with Sandgate and the town centre.
A consultation is running until next Friday, 13 November, inviting people to share their views on the proposals, which aim to make it easier and safer for people to use the route to walk, wheel or cycle.
Proposals include widening of pavements, improving crossing opportunities at junctions along the route and changing the junction layout at the top of Sandgate/bottom of Fell Lane to remove the double mini-roundabout.
Feedback has suggested the need for improvements to enable people to cross the road more easily and safely at various locations, particularly for children and parents walking to and from Beaconside Primary School and the nursery at Penrith Pre-School on Meeting House Lane.
Lots of people have already shared their views by completing the consultation survey, either online or by filling in a paper copy available from Penrith Library.
As part of the consultation, a well-attended drop-in event was held at Penrith Library on 14 October. Due to the level of interest, a further drop-in has now been organised for Tuesday next week (10 November). This will enable more people to meet the project team, look at the designs and ask questions before completing the survey.
Next week's drop-in event will be held at:
Led by Westmorland and Furness Council, the early designs for the improvement project have been informed by discussions with key stakeholders including council partners and other organisations along the route of the proposed improvements.
The consultation on the proposals runs until Friday, 13 November. You can find more information, look at the initial designs and have your say by completing the online consultation survey at:
https://consult.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/westmorland-and-furness-council/sandgate/
Anyone wanting to have their views considered is reminded to complete the survey, as comments left on social media or relayed verbally at the in-person events won't be captured in the analysis of survey responses.
Detailed designs will only be drawn up once the consultation has concluded and the views of the public responding to the consultation survey have been fully considered.
Once the final designs are agreed next year, it is planned construction work on improvements would be carried out in Autumn/Winter 2027/28 and the scheme would be complete by Spring 2028.
By improving accessibility and safety, the council hopes to encourage more people to feel confident using the route to walk, wheel or cycle into the town centre, as part of its plans to create better infrastructure to enable more people to choose 'active travel' for everyday local journeys such as going to school, work or to the shops.
The council has undertaken feasibility and initial design work and has secured funding to deliver the scheme from central Government sources, including Active Travel England and the Department for Transport's Local Transport Grant.
More information about the project is on the council's website: Sandgate and Fell Lane, Penrith | Westmorland and Furness Council
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