A call has been made by Copeland's mayor to scrap highly controversial traffic restrictions planned for a west Cumbrian village.

Frustrated residents say Cumbria County Council's proposals to stop drivers using two of the three entrances into Beckermet would lead to disaster.

The move, initially as a trial, hopes to stop the early-morning and afternoon rat-run when Sellafield workers avoid the grid-locked A595 and cut through the village.

But business owners fear it will instead force heavy traffic, including farm vehicles, past the village's school and nursery. They also worry it will take trade away from their businesses.

Mayor Mike Starkie has met those concerned a number of times and is now asking the county council to put a halt to its plans and start a fresh consultation.

The authority said the measures for Beckermet are part of a wider programme being implemented to deal with rat-running through rural villages and, once in place, will protect communities from "significant volumes of commuter traffic".

A council spokesman said it has been a long-standing issue and last year, on the request of Beckermet and Thornhill parish council, its technical officers began to draw up possible solutions.

He added that over the past few years complaints from residents in these communities has "increased exponentially."

But Mr Starkie said the county council needs to take a step back, and speak in more depth to the businesses and residents involved.

"The council is duty bound to listen to the views of the residents and businesses instead of steaming ahead and imposing it upon them," he said.

"We can't have small businesses being sacrificed. I'm calling on the county council to have a rethink."

County councillor Frank Morgan, chair of Copeland's local committee, said the authority was keen to work with businesses and local communities to develop, deliver and monitor schemes which will "impact positively to prevent rat-running" and will "actively engage during the experimental period."

He added: "Please be assured we will be continuously monitoring the on-going effects of these proposals and will feed back after the initial six month period.

"Cumbria County Council takes road safety very seriously, especially outside schools. This can be seen in the work we have completed in communities to provide schools with safe crossing points where required, and will work with the school and nursery to implement any measures necessary to mitigate potential risk."

He said the council's technical officers are in the process of finalising detailed designs and will share these with the parish council before implementation.