Mark Jenkinson MP has moved a step closer to delivering another one of his election promises – the realisation of an ambitious vision for the gateway to Workington.
Back in 2019, he pledged to campaign for improvements to the A66 in Workington and to open up the entrance to the town.
He also vowed to improve access to the Port of Workington by tackling bottlenecks at Ramsay Brow and Hall Park View; and committed to make the start of ‘Route 66’ a landmark destination for locals and visitors alike.
Now this vision for a new gateway to Workington has reached another milestone following the formal submission of an application to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
If successful, it will bring more than £10.5m of investment into Workington, improving the Ramsey Brow junction and road widening on Hall Brow. It will also make Workington Hall and its parklands more attractive and accessible to the public and visitors.
Mark, who has made numerous representations in support of the application, said: “This ambitious multi-million pound project would open up the gateway to the town, and I am delighted to give it my backing.
“I have long campaigned for these improvements at these bottlenecks.
“The works would resolve a long-standing transport issue by providing increased road capacity to support the growth of the town – reducing congestion and journey times, and relieving pressure on the wider road network such as our towns and villages along the A596.
“The bid also includes really exciting improvements to the Workington Hall Parklands, making this space more attractive and easier to access for visitors and locals alike, while also allowing us to deliver some additional flood resilience work at Hall Brow.
“I will continue to work with Allerdale and Cumbria councils, and their successor Cumberland from April, to deliver on the commitments that I made in 2019.”
Also included in the plans are improvements to local cycling and walking facilities in the area with an east/west cycle route through Hall Park and better crossings on Hall Brow and Ramsey Brow to Hall Park.
This includes improved lighting for Workington Hall, and the creation of a Walled Garden Social Enterprise Centre.
The proposed walled garden will create a centre that provides training and employability skills to adults with learning disabilities and will support local community groups and schools through the provision of horticultural activities within on-site gardening and wildlife areas.
Plans also include the installation of a new café.
