KENDAL motorists are set for yet more misery after Cumbria County Council announced yesterday it was closing Victoria Bridge to all traffic for four weeks as a ‘safety precaution’.

Traffic congestion at virtually all major entrances to Kendal for the past week has been causing chaos for motorists and hampering businesses and flood recovery work.

And yesterday CCC closed Victoria Bridge to all traffic, including cyclists and pedestrians, following further damage caused by continuous fast flowing water.

The bridge had already been closed to westbound traffic after erosion was found under the bridge pillar on the upstream side.

A further inspection by a specialist diving team revealed that the river bed has now been eroded underneath a second bridge pillar.

The closures, in addition to roadworks being carried out on Romney Road, have left motorists facing delays and long queues at Milnthorpe Road, Windermere Road and Shap Road.

Drivers are also being inconvenienced by bridges being out at Staveley, Burneside and Natland.

Sandylands community worker Jonny Gios said the snarl-ups were having a ‘huge impact’ on flood recovery work.

“It’s taking two hours for labourers’ vans to get through traffic to get to flooded properties,” he said.

“Not to mention deliveries to flooded properties. Businesses are feeling the cost of the floods and now the cost of two bridges being down in Kendal and more roadworks.

“We need to lobby government to ask for money for a new bypass for Kendal.”

A Kendal care worker said traffic was a ‘nightmare’, causing him to be late for appointments with clients by up to 40 minutes.

Zak Wood added: “The other day the temporary traffic lights by the college on Romney Road stopped working and were on red for over 20 minutes before anyone realised. It’s going to be six weeks of hell.”

Local tradesman Derek Stafford said he had been forced to drive to Bowness for supplies while working on Kendal Green, as it is currently quicker than going to Mintsfeet Industrial Estate.

He added: “Small businesses just can't afford to send one of the lads for a few supplies and have them sat in a traffic jam for up to, or even over an hour, when it would normally be a ten minute drive, and then having to pay them to do it.”

A council spokesperson said: “Our design team is creating repair plans now and we expect work to start on Victoria Bridge in around two weeks, by which time the necessary equipment will be on site.

“That work will take around a week, with a further week needed for the repair to ‘cure’ before it can be fully reopened to traffic – around four weeks in total. The council is also reviewing all scheduled roadworks in Kendal to ease the pressure on the road network.”

A signed diversion via Parkside Road, Sedbergh Road and Sandylands Road will be in place during the bridge closure. This route is suitable for all traffic except HGVs because of a 13 foot three inch height restriction.