PCC urges drivers not to speed on Cumbria’s rural roads

Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Peter McCall, is urging residents and visitors to Cumbria to drive to the conditions of the roads. Cumbria’s roads are beginning to see more traffic as COVID-19 restrictions ease and the public are now allowed to travel across county lines. As rural roads become busier the risk for accident increases.

Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Peter McCall, said: “Cumbria has seen a massive increase in traffic over the summer and although we do welcome all visitors we need to remember to be considerate when driving.

“The new roads safety team will bring even more coherence to our road safety approach and they will engage proactively to improve safety on the county roads and dealing with those who drive in an antisocial manner or fail to observe the law.”

“Cumbria has many rural roads with varying speed limits and warning signs that are there to keep all drivers safe – every driver should follow these, local or not, as we never know what is waiting around the bend.

“Recently in west around Newlands pass we have had issues with people parking dangerously on single track roads making it difficult for vehicles to pass – this could cause major accidents.

“We’ve had officers over various weekends on this stretch of road ticketing drivers for parking dangerously,  placing other drivers at risk of accident with no passing places available and forcing passersby to reverse up/down a steep single track hill – this is just not acceptable behaviour.

“Driving is not just about following rules it’s about using common sense and being courteous.

“If you think that driving or parking in a certain manner will place others at risk please reconsider.

“A new roads safety team has been introduced in Cumbria Constabulary which brings together the already existing teams that work to make our roads safer including the Mobile Support Group, Road Safety Cameras and Collision Reduction Officers.

“The aim of this unit it to reduce anti-social driving, streamline road patrols, decrease timings around road collision investigations, gather evidence around road accidents in Cumbria to highlight problem areas and educate the public on road safety.

“I hope with this new team in place we will see a reduction in anti-social driving across the county.”