Good Afternoon,

I am writing to inform you about the on-going issues that our team are facing with the Traffic Management currently in place at Scrithwaite Wood near Broughton Mills. This is in relation to the collapsed section of highway retaining wall located on the C5008 between Knotts End Farm (Dipping Croft) and the Stephenson Ground junction (please refer to Location Plan attached).

Following the collapse, our team arranged for sufficient Traffic Management to be installed on site to protect the public. For the benefit of the local community, we endeavoured to keep this restricted width of road open to all highway users. Our team currently monitor the Traffic Management on a weekly basis, but unfortunately during the last couple of visits, the Traffic Management has been vandalised with most of the temporary signs, cones, orange plastic barriers, sandbags, and water filled barriers having been thrown/pushed down the steep banking into the river (please see relevant photographs attached). This could not have been done accidentally.

We want to assure the public through the Parish Council, that this project is due to be delivered this year and we are currently preparing the contract docs for the design and construction of this new wall. However, this on-going issue of vandalism is diverting our resources away from what is already a busy schedule. This is a complex job and cannot be repaired in a short period of time. In the meantime, we have arranged for the Traffic Management to be re-erected, but if this continues, we will have no further option other than to close this section of road until the repair works are carried out.

We would be grateful if you could distribute this information throughout your Parish so that the public are aware of the situation.

Regards

Sam Harrison
Senior Bridge Technician
Bridges & Structures Team
Thriving Places Directorate | Westmorland & Furness Council

County Hall | Busher Walk | Kendal | Cumbria | LA9 4RQ