Road rage over cobbles
and replaced with Tarmac
“I moved to Alston about three years ago because I fell in love with it, and this hurts, it’s not what people want.”
Sue Fearn, 67, who works in the Alston’s 1611 Gallery, said: “It’s awful, the road is like a patchwork quilt with Tarmac.
“I originate from Haworth in Yorkshire and if they ripped up the cobbles there, they wouldn’t get the tourists.
“It’s the same here in Alston, the cobbles are the heart of the town. It’s what people like to see. But cobbles are being ripped up and replaced with Tarmac. It’s what everyone is talking about. People are saying the cobbles are going to be kept to replace the Tarmac later in a couple of years’ time or aren’t they?
“I am sure someone somewhere has the answers but they aren’t answerable to you or I.”
Coun Driver’s letter says she “clarifies the fact that this is planned work that needed to be done in order to make sure we have a safe and legal roadway, whilst the wider regeneration project is continuing”.
It adds: “The section of road which has been resurfaced was a badly damaged section which, following inspection, was deemed in need of repair in advance of the winter months.
“This work has been planned in for some time, and does not impact on any possible final design or plans for the street and public realm which is being worked up through the Front Street regeneration project.”
Coun Driver said any cobbles that have been removed are being stored in a council depot and the plan is to reuse as much of the material as possible in the final scheme, in footpaths and “lower impact areas of the town centre”.
Cumbria County Council also confirmed the cobbles are being permanently replaced with Tarmac as a matter of road safety.
A spokesman said: “We have been working with the community for some time regarding essential road upgrades to Alston Front Street and we remain committed to working with the community to find a long-term solution that not only makes the road safe but protects the historic nature of Alston Town Centre.
“The development of any final scheme that meets the needs of Alston will take time and as a significant public realm scheme, this will not happen quickly.
“Working closely with the community work is already under way to look at some design options and once finalised these plans will be key to helping us secure the funding needed.
“The work that we have undertaken, as part of this project, is essential maintenance to make the road surface 100% safe and sadly the cobbles were no longer suitable as a safe driving surface.
“We appreciate that the extent of these works, and the removal of sections of the cobbles, have caused some significant local concern and for that we apologise as we recognise that we could have communicated the extent of this work much more effectively with the local community.
“We are currently storing the cobbles safely, so that we can reinstate them back into town centre at a time when we have a f i n a l s c h e m e agreed and have secure the funding needed to pay for it.”
Coun Claire Driver