The development of a new nuclear power station near Sellafield could bring road improvements across West Cumbria.

Cumbria County Council is reviewing the major road network in light of the planned Moorside power station and other anticipated investment projects in the area over the coming years.

The council is assessing what improvements are needed to major roads including the A595 and A596 in Allerdale and Copeland, as well as what funding it might be able to secure through planning gain.

Under planning rules, developers can be asked to pay towards road improvements if their developments will have an impact on the highways concerned.

Karl Melville, senior manager for network management, said: "There are some fairly big project over the coming years. We need to look at how best to deal with those projects and if there are benefits to the network we can attach to them.

"It's about connectivity to the developments that are proposed off the networks and moving people and products around the networks.

"We need to try to get ahead of the game and pick up issues before it becomes a problem."