THE Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has promised to help local MP for Barrow and Furness Simon Fell, who wants to see a ‘super-cycleway’ scheme along the A590.

Simon has been working together with Ulverston Town Council, Cumbria County Council and Highways England on the plans, which would see the cycle way running from Walney Island all the way up the A590 across abandoned railway lines and bridges, to Ulverston.

Speaking in Parliament on Thursday, Mr Fell said that to make such a scheme happen would require Highways England, Network Rail and Cumbria County Council to pull together to work on the scheme.

He then asked the Transport Secretary what support he would be able to give him to make the scheme happen, with Mr Shapps replying that it seemed like a “terrific idea”.

The Secretary of State went onto pledge that he would push from his end at the Department for Transport to ensure that it happens.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Fell said: “The Government has given Cumbria £260,000 in funding for cycling and walking with £934,000 to follow this summer.

"I want to ensure that we use this money to invest in integrated and safe cycleways from top to tail, rather than in disjointed projects that won't shift people out of their cars for good.

"I'm glad to get the Secretary of State's backing and look forward to meeting with him soon to take this forward.”

Questions have been raised in the past about whether cycleways could be built on the A590 between Ulverston and Barrow after calls to introduce them to make cyclist feel more safe on the road.

This scheme comes after it was announced Barrow could see a number of pop up cycleways on its roads as part of a multi-million pound government funding scheme. Barrow and the South Lakes have been put forward by Cumbria County Council to the Department for Transport (DfT) for consideration for funding as part of their £225m Emergency Active Travel Fund.

A 'super-cycleway' would be a big win for Mr Fell who is keen to see a green revolution in the area.