Works were carried on the A595 Torpenhow/Bothel Junction in order to reduce travel times, improve reliability and protect and enhance the natural environment.
Story Contracting were initially contracted by Cumbria County Council to carry out improvement works to the A595 Torpenhow/Bothel Junction, with Cumberland Council becoming responsible for the project during the course of the works.
The project, which received funding support from Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (CLEP) through the Government’s ’Getting Building Fund’, aims to reduce travel times, improve reliability and protect and enhance the natural environment.
The impacted section of the A595 had also been earmarked for improvement due to its existing potential for road traffic accidents due to poor visibility due to the natural land profile and lack of turning lanes. The project aimed to vastly improve this through the addition of turning lanes into Bothel and Torpenhow, as well as including landscaping works to improve the line of vision for road users.
6,300m2
of surfacing complete
22,000m3
of material excavated
The project involved the following main activities:
Throughout the delivery of the project the Story team worked in close collaboration with a variety of key stakeholders including Connect Highways and the local environmental authority to ensure the successful completion of the works. As the improvement works impacted a major commuter route in Cumbria, works and traffic management were planned so as to minimise disruption to local residents wherever possible.
The Story team provided a significant saving to the client through providing an alternative solution for statutory diversions. This resulted in the team moving existing services, rather than the planned disconnection and reinstatement of services, which would have resulted in service outages and increased costs.
Throughout the project the Story team worked with multiple key stakeholders to ensure works were planned and complete successfully, with minimal disruption. This included the client, local landowners, the local parish council and member of the local community, including businesses.
In order to keep interested parties up to date with the works, community drop in sessions were held at Bothel Community Centre, with frequent letter drops sent out and community notice boards erected at either side of the scheme.
Alongside the client, social media updates were also utilised to update the local community on key milestones and any potential disruption, with these posts also utilised to promote local businesses such as The Greyhound Inn.
I am delighted that the Torpenhow road junction is now open, as the A595 is very important for connectivity between Carlisle and West Cumbria. I would like to thank Story Contracting for all their hard work, and the CLEP for their funding investment – this road will help to make people’s lives not only safer, but a little bit easier on a daily basis.
Network Rail
VolkerRail/Story joint venture were tasked with the £80m project as part of a £137m investment that saw the undertaking of extensive enhancement works to remove several bottlenecks along the route to improve reliability, increase passenger services and aid in freight movements.