Lorton braces for HGV’s

At the Parish Council meeting in Lorton last night, villagers expressed their disquiet at the plans for thousands of tons of concrete and hundreds of HGV’s to be trafficked through the narrow lanes of Low Lorton. Designed to take farm traffic in the 19th Century, the road has space for only one car at a time, let alone a big lorry.

Flooding was also a concern as the plans to remove the weir at the head of the Cocker is expected to send a greater quantities of gravel and boulders down the river. The Environment Agency no longer allows the river to be dredged. However, The EA has rejected United Utilities modelling for flood risk as has Cockermouth flooding group. Council Chair Peter Deeks admitted he is one of Low Lortons residents most likely to be flooded. Residents are worried their insurance premiums will go up.

The meeting heard from Bruce Wilson who lives by Lorton Bridge. Bruce works at Sellafield and said that good environmental practice suggests keeping concrete on site rather than removing it. This approach had been suggested for Crummock by Environmental Engineering Consultancy Jacobs known as the ‘assisted natural recovery’ option. Essentially burying the dam within a renaturalised landscape.

After discussion, Deeks proposed that Lorton writes to the Lake District planning authorities and Cumberland Council (who are responsible for traffic movements in Lorton) to express their concerns about:

• Flooding

• Construction traffic

• Ask if the Assisted Natural Recovery option could be considered

After the item, Bruce was co-opted on to Lorton Parish Council.

Police called to an HGV unable to climb a wet Scale hill

An HGV tries to squeeze down our narrow country lane.