Campaigners interrupted a council meeting in a bid to raise their concerns over the potential creation of a new lane on a key Carlisle road.

Three residents on the stretch of Warwick Road where the extra lane is planned - from the Rosehill Industrial Estate to Eastern Way - tried to voice their concerns at a meeting of Cumbria County Council's local committee for Carlisle yesterday, but were asked to leave.

A discussion on the extra lane was not on the agenda for the meeting, but the group said they wanted to make their feelings known and said they believed councillors were going to discuss the plans in private.

A petition opposing the proposals has gained more than 2,000 signatures.

"We've had one meeting with the council," Joy Graham, one of the residents who attended the committee meeting, told the News & Star .

"We're hoping to have another meeting but there isn't anything planned yet.

"We were led to believe they were having a private meeting. We just want them to know how we feel about it and hope they will listen to what the people want."

She continued: "We want to thank everyone for the support they've given us so far.

"People who are from Carlisle but no longer live here have signed the petition because they know that the plans won't work. John Stevenson [Carlisle's MP] has also signed our petition and fully supports us.

"The council won't get a return on the £1m that it's going to cost."

Charlotte Deane, who also attended the meeting, added: "It doesn't feel like we're being listened to, to be honest.

"Even though we were asked to leave, I'd like to think that the councillors who were there saw how unhappy we are about it."

A spokesman for Cumbria County Council said: “The council received around 70 responses to the consultation that closed last week.

"We are now reviewing that feedback and intend to provide responses to any commonly raised questions via our website as soon as possible.

"We will be discussing the consultation feedback with Carlisle City Council and anticipate being able to provide an update on the next steps for the proposal in the coming weeks.”