RESIDENTS are up-in-arms after receiving news that controversial roadworks will take place in a South Lakes town despite their three year fight to oppose them.

Cumbria County Council (CCC) announced yesterday that work is due to start on September 23 to widen a footpath in the north of Kendal in a bid to create space for pedestrians, cyclists and mobility scooters.

CCC said the improvements will involve 1.21 kilometres of footway widening on Shap Road, from north of Queen Katherine Avenue to Longpool. The works to create the footway will reduce the width of the A6.

Residents in the area claim their views were ignored by CCC and that the plan was “insanity” and “dangerous”.

Iain Gallagher, of Appleby Road, claimed CCC held only one public consultation back in 2016.

“We are back to square one,” he said. “Some residents didn’t even receive a leaflet saying this was happening.

“For the past three years we have been battling against the council with barely any consultation and we were told in 2018 it would not go ahead. This will be a recipe for an accident.”

David Greenbank, of David Greenbank Tyres & Towing Ltd, said it was “total insanity” and claimed the council would make a “hash” of it.

“I’m a cyclist and this will just cause an anti-cycling feeling in the town,” he said. “We are banging our heads against the wall while the council is burning a hole in their pockets.

“The council have just pushed this through quietly without telling us.”

Both residents believe a cheaper and safer route would work best along the riverside behind the County Hall.

Around £400,000 is being invested for this scheme to work.

For the past three years CCC member for Kendal Nether, Cllr Shirley Evans has tried to prevent it from going ahead.

“It’s simply not safe. It will lead cyclists down the most dangerous junction in Kendal,” she said. “And it’s unnecessary when we have a good alternative route that needs working on. I strongly feel for my residents who are being ignored.”

A CCC spokesperson said: “The funding we have received from Cumbria LEP is allocated for this route. However, we are working with the Environment Agency and SLDC to also provide a leisure route that would link Mintsfeet and the riverside route to the rear of County Hall.”