A church and school have called on nuclear chiefs to ensure pupil safety is not compromised by its major plans for their road.

Cenydd Marrison, parish priest at St Begh’s Church, Whitehaven and Stephen Scott, chair of governors of the neighbouring St Begh’s School, have asked for talks with NuGen over its plans for the busy Coach Road on which both the school and church are located.

NuGen – the firm behind plans for the three-reactor Moorside power station on land next to Sellafield – plans to “improve” junctions at both ends of Coach Road as part of its wider transport projects associated with the new-build.

The road itself will not be widened, says NuGen, although traffic in the vicinity is set to increase: a worker accommodation village is planned for land off Coach Road, close to its junction with Preston Street, that could house between 1,000 and 1,500 people and includes space for 295 cars. Improvements are also planned in order to increase usage of the nearby Corkickle train station.


Fr Cenydd Marrison Fr Marrison and Rev Scott said: “We have been informed that traffic modelling and other technical tests have yet to be completed.

"We sincerely hope that all data will be in the public domain as soon as possible, to enable us to enter into a meaningful dialogue with NuGen as to what ‘improvements’ to the junctions at both ends of Coach Road actually mean.

“Clearly, if these are such, they will deliver safer access and egress to all properties on Coach Road, restricting heavy vehicles and moderating the flow of traffic.

“Our paramount concern remains the safety of the 300 children who attend St Begh’s Primary School and we look forward to discussions between NuGen, the school and the parish.”

NuGen recently finished a second round of consultation into its plans and is assessing responses – including a high number from the St Begh’s parish – ahead of publishing a feedback report later this year.

A planning application is expected to be lodged next year and the firm hopes construction will start in 2020 and all three reactors will be on stream by 2026.