Traffic survey scheme that caused delays in Carlisle cost nearly £50k

Surveys undertaken on June 21 caused problems for motorists across the city as vehicles were stopped while crossing Eden Bridge.

Trinity School said it had to delay the start of a GCSE exam as pupils living north of the river who were being dropped off found themselves caught up in traffic jams.

Huge tailbacks stretched from Eden Bridge up to the Kingstown roundabout.

They were part of a wider programme of surveys - and figures now show what it cost to complete this programme.

Cumbria County Council has defended the amount of money that was spent, stating that such studies must be submitted to the Department for Transport when seeking funding.

The overall sum for conducting the surveys - £46,945.30 - was taken from the budget of its economy and highways directorate.

Figures obtained under a Freedom of Information request states that Cumbria County Council spent more than £2,700 at each of nine different sites where surveys were conducted between June 19 and July 13.

This was in addition to other costs.

The surveys were arranged by consultants WSP on behalf of Cumbria County Council.

There were people employed to carry out the surveys and staff provided traffic management at each site.

Cumbria Police also provided police officers.

A breakdown of costs shows that:

* A total of £24,500 was spent on conducting the roadside interview surveys - a cost of £2,722.22 per site;

*£2,690 was spent on additional costs for sites;

*£9,070 was spent on traffic management at all roadside survey sites;

*£1,540 was spent on automatic traffic counts;

*£1,850 was spent on other counts;

*The total cost paid to Cumbria police was £7,295.30

A spokesman for Cumbria County Council said: “The recent traffic surveys in Carlisle gathered information about how, why and where people travel across the city.

“Cumbria County Council is committed to maximising investment in our roads and transport network.

"To do this, we must present evidence to the Department for Transport that investment is needed.

“For example, in relation to the proposed Carlisle Southern Link Road, data from traffic surveys is a specific requirement of the Department for Transport in considering any application.

“Without this information it is very difficult to secure funding from Government for transport improvements.

"Furthermore, Cumbria needs to compete for funding bids against many other authorities across the UK.”

Where the surveys took place:

Monday, June 19.

–Warwick Road, between Thirlwell Avenue and Walkmill Crescent, surveying traffic travelling westbound.

–London Road, between Harraby Green Road and Trevor Street, surveying traffic travelling northbound.

–Newbiggin Road, between junction 40 of the M6 and Brisco Road, surveying traffic travelling eastbound.–

Wednesday, June 21.

–Eden Bridge, surveying traffic travelling southbound.

–Wigton Road, between Glaramara Drive and the A689, surveying traffic travelling north east bound.

–Dalston Road, between Cummersdale Road and the access to Pirelli, surveying traffic travelling northbound.

Thursday, July 13.

–St Nicholas Bridge, surveying traffic travelling northbound

–Currock Road, between South Western Terrace and Crown Street, surveying traffic travelling northbound

–The A689, between Burgh Road and Kingmoor Road, surveying traffic travelling northbound.

Surveys planned for Tuesday, June 20 and Thursday, June 22 were cancelled.

At each roadside interview survey site, traffic flow surveys were also undertaken using an automatic traffic counter - seen by motorists as tubes lying across the road.

The counts were undertaken for a two-week period and were installed between Friday June 16 and Sunday, June 18. They were removed on Monday, July 3.

A series of manual counts were also undertaken on Tuesday, June 20 at:

–Harwicke Circus

–London Road/St Nicholas Street

–Botchergate/The Crescent

–Lowther Street/Devonshire Street

–Church Street/Caldcotes

–The A595/A689

–Kingmoor Road/Hartley Avenue