A “death trap” and an “accident waiting to happen” was how an access road planned for Carlisle was described as it was rejected.

The proposals to create the entrance leading onto Durranhill Road were thrown out by the city’s planning panel, though highway chiefs had raised no objections.

The decision also flew in the face of the recommendations of the authority’s own planning officers, who had recommended the plans for approval subject to conditions.

Councillors, who had been on a site visit, spent almost an hour and a half discussing the proposals.

The meeting heard from Jeff Hetherington, representing the residents, who said a safety audit commissioned by the applicant failed to take account of traffic volume, near misses and previous accidents.

He said: “Safety audit or no safety audit, no one could convince me this is anything other than an accident waiting to happen.

“The road is busy. Traffic calming measures have been erected but this is anything but safe. People are selling their houses because of the screech of brakes, the sound of horns and the broken glass on the road.”

Independent councillors Robert Betton and Jack Patton spoke on behalf of residents.

Mr Betton described the road as “very dangerous” and a “death trap”, adding that the proposed access road was close to another junction and the brow of a hill, restricting visibility. Citing police figures, he said that there had been two fatalities on this stretch of road and that cars were forced to pass very close to one another, with wing mirrors knocked off.

Mr Patton said he was “nearly killed” on that area of road and that cars came down there at “horrific speeds”. The applicant wanted an access road to maintain the trees and clear away rubbish close to Geltside Avenue.