IT’S COBBLERS
Last updated at 13:21, Monday, 25 February 2008
PLANS to tear up cobbles from a Workington street dating back to Georgian times have come under fire from MP Tony Cunningham.
Cumbria County Council wants to replace the historic stones on Portland Square with a new paving stone-like road surface.
Mr Cunningham said he first heard of the plans while chatting with locals in the Green Dragon Hotel, on the square.
He discovered a public consultation had been held there with residents, outlining options to re-lay the road with one of three different designs of stone-setts – the council’s preferred choice – or even covering it with tarmac.
The Workington MP said he was furious that more people had not been informed about the scheme.
He added: “I’m appalled. You can’t just ask 20 people what they think of it.
“I’m sure a lot of people in Workington would be appalled if they took up all the cobbles and just replaced them.
“One of the options most definitely should be to leave it as it is.”
He also complained that the council had failed to maintain the Field Side House building it owns at the bottom of Elizabeth Street, which has become an eyesore with smashed windows.
Mr Cunningham said: “Cumbria County Council are quite happy to have one of their properties lying derelict in a conservation area, but at the same time they want to rip up cobbles in a street from Georgian times.
“They wouldn’t be doing this if it was in York or Bath so they shouldn’t do it here.”
A county council spokesman said the cobbled section of Portland Square is part of the public highway and is being improved as part of a wider development scheme, following concerns over public safety.
He added: “A number of people have complained over time about difficulties in navigating the cobbles safely.
“None of the existing cobbles meet current national highway standards in terms of skid-resistance and surface regulatory. We are therefore consulting with the area’s immediate residents who will have to navigate and use the new surface on a regular basis.
“This consultation asks people for their comments on plans to replace the cobbles with stone-setts which are a modern-day equivalent to the current surface and meet today’s safety requirements. National highways safety standards prevent the replacement of the cobbles with like-for-like.”
He said the consultation period, which ends today, also included discussions with Allerdale council, Workington Town Council, the Civic Society and county councillors.
He added: “Following the consultation period, the county council will reflect on any comments made before displaying a final set of plans and drawings on the scheme at a future Neighbourhood Forum meeting in the area.
“The county council-owned Field Side House is being held for future development. The building will continue be kept wind and water tight in the interim.”
DCattanach@cngroup.co.uk
First published at 11:10, Tuesday, 19 February 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
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