COUNCILLORS were presented with proposals to improve walking and cycling links for pedestrians in Workington last week and although they were endorsed, concerns were raised that a lack of Government support could cause major issues.

The discussion came during a meeting of Cumbria County Council’s Local Committee for Allerdale on Friday July 1.

Cumbria County Council has developed Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIP) for the area’s major towns, each setting out ambitious plans to make active travel more appealing and convenient.

On Friday, councillors were asked to approve Workington’s LCWIP which sets out an investment plan for cycling and walking in the town for the next 15 years, which could include the creation of new cycleways, pedestrianised areas and new secure cycle parking.

The Local Committee for Allerdale gave their approval to the proposals which are seen as another exciting development in an area with a bright future.

However, county councillor for Maryport North Carni McCarron-Holmes warned that if Government does not support the plans, Workington’s wider regeneration plans could be affected.

Cllr McCarron-Holmes said: “I read the document and I think it could be the blueprint for most of our towns and areas.

“I did notice that it isn’t funded and the funding has to be applied for, the failure to achieve the funding I think it could have an impact on the Town’s Fund and what it is trying to achieve.”

Separately, councillors gave their support to Allerdale Council’s Levelling-Up Fund bid which if approved by Government, will support improvements under the LCWIP as well as the improvement of highways links to key industrial sites such as the Port of Workington.

The county council’s highways boss Keith Little said that while the committee should support the bid: “It’s ironic isn’t it, Cumbria County Council lost £40 million out of our highways capital improvement programme which Michael Gove in his wisdom has now decided to put into his Levelling-Up Fund and offers county council the opportunity to bid-in to repair potholes, it’s just ludicrous.”

But Cllr Mike Johnson said: “My understanding is that for the Levelling-Up Fund this is only the second submission, last time we submitted this it was a priority two, we’ve now been moved up to a priority one.”

Cllr Johnson said that the first submission in the priority two round of funding received positive feedback so the decision was made to submit the same proposal in the second round.