A COUNCILLOR has said that safety concerns from residents about traffic lights in a South Lakeland village are being heard.

Councillor Pete McSweeney has contacted Cumbria County Council Highways regarding the problems at Milnthorpe traffic lights.

He said that Highways officers have visited the site on numerous occasions in response to complaints from residents.

He added that the extra traffic diverted through Milnthorpe, during works to the A590 over the past few weeks, is believed to be the cause of the current problem.

"Cumbria County Council Highways have been on site there for many months," he said.

"They have just finished a major resurfacing program at the junction and have also installed new traffic lights. The project cost in the region of £250,000.

"They have spent a number of hours on each occasion monitoring the traffic.

"The general consensus of opinion is that most of the problems have been caused by the significant amount of extra traffic that is being diverted through Milnthorpe whilst the Highways England works on the A590 between the M6 junction 36 and the Brettargh Halt roundabout are being carried out.

"Once that work has been completed, and the diversions have been removed, Cumbria County Council Highways will review the traffic flow through the junction again.

The councillor assured that the traffic flow is being continually monitored and that residents' concerns were being heard.

"The traffic flow at this junction is continually being monitored because road safety is of paramount importance at this very busy junction," said Cllr McSweeney.

"I along with Cumbria County Council Highways officers are listening to the concerns of residents. We have to make sure that this junction is safe for all road and footway users."

The issue was discussed again at Milnthorpe Parish Council's November meeting, where it was said that: "The sequencing is not as it was prior to the work being carried out.

"There are numerous examples of poor driver technique.

"The roadworks on the A590 is creating much higher traffic flow than normal."

Last month Milnthorpe Parish Council Vice Chair Jen Scrogham branded the traffic lights as an 'ongoing nightmare' and warned that 'someone is going to be killed.'