A business owner says that a new link road south of Carlisle should be accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.

A report published by the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), county council and Highways England has listed nearly 40 improvement schemes that should be carried out if Cumbria is to "fulfill its economic potential".

Among the suggestions is the possibility of creating a new road linking both the M6 and A595 south of the city. Plans show that a new road could run from the A595 at Newby Cross through to Durdar before joining the motorway near Carleton.

But Sue Wrennall, who runs Kingrigg Livery Stables at Newby Cross, says that the new road could cause further problems.

"There's already a lot of traffic on the A595," she told the News & Star.

"It will increase traffic even more. It's difficult to access our business either on foot or on a bike at the minute, so if something is done then it should include a footpath.

"There isn't a footpath on the A595 at the minute and it's dangerous."

The publishers say that the report "also sets out the future socio-demographic changes that Cumbria is expected to achieve in the future, including planned employment growth, background traffic growth and new housing developments".

Plans have already been put forward by Kier Construction, acting on behalf of Highways England, to carry out safety improvements on the A66 between Brigham and Broughton, something that the report also recommends.

Other suggestions included a new link road between the Port of Workington and the A66 as well as the construction of a new access bridge at the Port of Workington. The report also suggests the creation of an A595 relief road in west Cumbria, running from Low Moresby to just south of Mirehouse.

Graham Haywood, director of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “This study is important because it provides the evidence base to support the county in its bids for government funding for road improvements.

“It builds on our Infrastructure Plan, which was published earlier in the year.

“It clearly sets out the improvements that will need to be made to key points in the road infrastructure to accommodate the economic growth that the county will experience over the next 15 years.”