More roadworks are set for Carlisle, with one street that could potentially face closures for a month.

Ongoing work in the north of the city, where a high voltage cable is being installed, is due to affect residents in Etterby Road and the surrounding streets.

Mick Jones, of Kingmoor parish council, said the work would cause "increased and prolonged misery" for people in the area.

The works are a continuation of the roadworks in Kingmoor Road where post office owner John Furness said nine days of disruption meant he had lost a substantial amount of business.

From Monday, Etterby Road will be closed between 9am and 4pm for a period of up to four weeks.

The closure will affect it from its junction with Kingmoor Road to the junction with Stainton Road - a distance of 600 metres.

Homes in St Ann's Road, Austin Court, Wordsworth Court, Scaurbank Road and Scaurbank Terrace will also feel the brunt of the works.

Mr Jones understands that there will be no vehicle access except via the single track road going north from Stainton to the A689 at Kingmoor West Roundabout.

This road, he said, will also be the only route into Michael Douglas Auto Salvage & Scrap Metals Ltd for lorries, some of which will be recovery vehicles towing another vehicle.

Mr Jones said: "The road itself is unsuitable for such traffic.

"It is narrow, steep in places, with blind bends and very few passing places.

"Imagine the chaos should two HGVs meet at a sharp, blind bend where they are unable to pass.

"Pity any residents of Stainton Road or Stainton who may have an urgent hospital appointment and finds the way blocked by such an incident."

Mr Jones said residents and the parish council had been kept in the dark about the proposed road closure.

He added: "The only indication that Etterby Road was to close was a contractors sign indicating that the road was closing from August 1.

"This was first spotted on July 22 and by July 25 this had been amended to August 12."

Kenneth Gilder, 70, who lives in Etterby Road, said he felt ill-informed.

"I don't know what's going to happen. They haven't really told us what's going to happen when they get so far down.

"It's only a narrow bit they're digging up so I don't see why they should have to close the whole road.

"I know its a heavy vehicle that's involved, that's digging the road up, but there's room to get past it," he said.

"We're going to have to go all the way round by Stainton.

"It's a mile or so, maybe more. Plus the fact that it's a B road and you're going to meet other traffic.

"It's going to be a hell of a delay and it's too far to walk down."


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Manchester-based contractors Gallaghers have been working in the area since April to install a 33kv cable for EDF Energy Renewables' nine-turbine windfarm, at Beck Burn Peat Works between Longtown and Gretna.

About 10km of the line has been installed and they have a further 8km to complete.

It's expected the overall project will be completed by Christmas.

Ian Cusworth, project manager for Gallaghers, who are carrying out the work on behalf of Electricity North West, said the road will be closed in sections and that the closure would not be in place during peak times to allow better access in the morning and at the end of the day.

A week before the works started in Etterby Road he said they started to inform people.

"We've spoken to loads of residents around here. We've letter dropped everybody and we've tried to explain to them to keep everybody accommodated," he said.

"Unless it's the emergency services [the road will be closed].

"We don't want anybody trying to get through. The road's not wide enough and we've got machine working and we just want to keep everybody safe.

"It might not be four weeks. If we can do it any faster we will."

Mr Cusworth will be on site everyday and is happy to explain to residents what is happening.