More than 30 drivers are being given fixed penalty notices after using a one-way section of Brunswick Square, in Penrith, as a “rat run”.
Following the rollout of road closures for gas infrastructure work on January 3, dozens of drivers have tried to dodge the longer official diversion by ignoring a “No Entry” sign and cutting through a one-way section of street.
To access the north end of town, scores of motorists have tried turning off Brunswick Road into a “No Entry” side street leading to Brunswick Square.
Residents raised the alarm about the potential danger to pedestrians and other motorists and police swung into action by putting officers on the spot. Since the road closures were introduced, residents say that a large volume of traffic has driven through the square, often at speed.
There have also been reports of near misses involving pedestrians, as well as stand-offs between vehicles meeting each other nose to nose in the narrow road.
A resident told the Herald: “It has been chaos at times — loads of drivers coming fast along a one-way street in the wrong direction, with cars parked on both sides. And the general weight of cars on these narrow streets has leapt up.
“There are children living and crossing the road in this area who are not expecting cars to be coming from that direction, as they never have before — I dread to think what might happen. I’ve personally seen two near-miss accidents.”
Penrith resident Paul Austen, aged 79, was one of those caught out on Saturday night and told the Herald that he is considering contesting the £50 charge at court, as he considered the crackdown “excessive”.
Mr Austen said drivers living in the north of Penrith had faced an “unreasonable” diversion of nearly three miles. He said he had not realised Brunswick Square was no entry as the mist at the weekend and overgrown bushes had made it difficult for him to see the signs.
He felt a more “reasonable” approach would have involved the council temporarily lifting the no entry restriction during the works to assist residents in the north of Penrith.
Police have now confirmed that steps were being taken by Westmorland and Furness Council to close off the problem junction temporarily.
Concerns about the works should direct “inquiries, concerns and comments” to Northern Gas Networks Customer Care on 0800 040 7766.
Other drivers have complained that, at busy times, the roadworks have led to traffic building up for up to an hour, particularly around Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Ullswater Road and the mini roundabout near Morrisons.
