Kirkstone Pass resurfacing works completed for holidays

Kirkstone Pass re-opened this week following resurfacing to complete works on the north side of the pass.

Read more: Kirkstone Pass will close for two weeks from today | The Mail (nwemail.co.uk)

The new road surface was the finishing touch on this part of the 14 month project, designed to make the pass safer and better protected from flooding and other weather-related impacts.

Councillor Peter Thornton, Westmorland and Furness Council’s Cabinet member for Highways and Assets, said: “This has been a complex project in a difficult and restricted location, subject to some extreme weather-related challenges.

"It is excellent to see works now completed on the northern end of the pass in time for the busiest holiday periods.

“We have been working closely with the local community and businesses in the area to try to minimise disruption caused by this essential safety work, and I want to thank them for their support and patience."

Kirkstone Pass is one of the highest roads in the Lake District (Image: Westmorland and Furness Council)

The improvements – which have included better road drainage, installing new gullies, new lay-bys and signage, and the fitting of new wooden-clad environment sensitive safety crash barriers – are part of a £7.4 million Department for Transport (DfT) ‘Safer Roads Project’.

This is being delivered by Westmorland and Furness Council to upgrade and improve the safety of the A592.

Other works under the project included resurfacing along the route from Windermere to the A66 near Rheged, carried out in 2022 and 2023.

“I’d also like to thank our contractors, Metcalfe’s, for their diligent work and flexibility, that has resulted in minimal delays despite being subjected to all that a Lake District winter could throw at them," Councillor Thornton added.

"We were able to complete some of the works under traffic light controls but some elements, such as installing new drainage, which involved excavating the full width of the carriageway, required the road to be closed to vehicles."

Road users are reminded to continue to travel safely over the Pass following the resurfacing and improvement works.