THE A590 near Kendal is to benefit from £622,000 worth of drainage and safety improvements in a month-long project.

To minimise any inconvenience to drivers the Highways Agency is combining two projects along the route between its junction with the M6 and A590/A591 Brettargh Holt roundabout.

Traffic management for the scheme involves the closure of the nearside lane of the westbound carriageway for the duration of the project and two overnight full closures.

Work starts on Monday and is due to be completed by Thursday March 28 before the start of the Easter holiday period.

The project includes £236,000 of drainage repairs, maintenance and safety improvements between Brettargh Holt and Hincaster.

Some £386,000 of safety improvements, including renewal of safety barriers and better pedestrian crossings at the roundabout with the A591 at Brettargh Holt will also be delivered.

As well as the lane closure along the westbound A590, one lane of the exit slip road from the northbound M6 at junction 36 and the exit slip road from the westbound A590 to Brettargh Holt roundabout, will be closed for the duration of the project.

All westbound laybys within the roadworks area will also be closed until the project is completed.

A 50mph speed limit will be in place past the roadworks and narrowed lanes will operate around Brettargh Holt roundabout at times.

While most of the work will be done during the day, some limited overnight working will be taking place and will require two overnight full closures of the westbound A590 from the M6 at junction 36 up to the roundabout with the A591.

A clearly-signed diversion will be used when the westbound carriageway is closed overnight with drivers using the northbound A65 from the M6 through Crooklands and up towards Kendal where they can access the southbound A6 and A591 for the A590.

Updates about progress with the scheme, alongside an option for signing up to email update alerts, are available at www.highways.gov.uk/roads.

Highways Agency project sponsor Peter Gee said: “These two projects will enhance safety for road users and pedestrians along this section of the A590. The westbound A590 will remain open to road users at all times apart from the two overnight closures – and drivers should allow extra time for their journeys during these as the diversion is quite lengthy.

“With one lane always available to drivers outside of the two overnight closures we are not expecting any significant delays. We do remind drivers though that a 50mph speed limit will be in place past the roadworks and we ask them to take extra care particularly at the roundabout with the A591 where narrowed lanes will be in place at times.”