Proposed improvements to the main road between Sellafield and Whitehaven will be discussed at a top tier council meeting tomorrow (November 27).

Members of the Local Committee for Copeland have been asked to provide feedback on potential upgrades to the A595 and on the role of a Whitehaven relief road.

The move comes after the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership and the county council worked together to come up with a business case for upgrades.

Views are being sought on what the "key objectives" to improve the route should be, the value of a relief road for Whitehaven and any other upgrades members wish to see on the road network around the town.

Michael Barry, programme lead on infrastructure planning, said: "The consultation on how to improve the A595 around Whitehaven is very important given the key role the road plays in the econpomy of the area and meeting the needs of residents and visitors."

The views of the local committee will form part of the county council's overall consultation response.

A report by Highways England has found that the accident rate on this stretch of road is almost 37 per cent higher than for the rest of the county - and that lack of safe overtaking opporunities can lead to frustration and risk-taking manoeuvres.

Large numbers of HGVs use this part of the route, with more than 1,000 a day recorded at Bransty Road - between four per cent and five per cent of all traffic flow.

This is relatively high compared to the national average of 2.5 per cent for urban A-roads.

The report also found that journeys on the route are "unreliable" with a lack of altenative routes in the event of disruption, with closure of the A595 causing long diversions along roads that "can't cope" with increased traffic.

Among the improvements mooted are the removal of junctions on the A595 through Whitehaven - though this would not solve all issues - and a bypass of the town.

Highways England is running a six-week consultation which is due to end on December 19.