RESIDENTS of one street in Cleator have started a petition to tackle speeding on the road by their houses. 

People living on Trumpet Terrace and Brookside in Cleator have grown concerned about the amount of traffic on the A5086 - and with the speed it passes by.

Over the past two years, residents say there has been an increase in traffic on the road due to a new Sellafield park-and-ride area that has been put in place on the former site of the Kangol factories.

Richard Hardiman, who lives at Brookside, has started a petition which has now gained almost 400 signatures. This has been sent off to local authorities with the aim of having measures put in place to prevent speeding.

He said: "From Wath Brow, where the thirty-mile-an-hour limit starts, to Cleator, we've just got excessive speed from the traffic. We haven't got one thing in place here that reduces the traffic.

"I think the new Sellafield car park on the former Kangol site could be adding to the problem as I've seen at least four irate drivers blasting their horns because traffic is pulling out from there.

"There also doesn't seem to be something in place to slow the vehicles down."

A Sellafield spokesperson said: “Park and ride services enable Sellafield workers to complete their journey to work by bus, easing commuter traffic on the A595 and reducing our environmental impact. 

“They are a part of a range of sustainable travel measures included in our established travel-to-work plan, which was developed in consultation with local authorities and community representatives.

“We work continuously with our local communities to monitor the impacts of these measures and promote a culture of safe and courteous driving both on and off the Sellafield site.”

Councillor Michael Eldon, Cleator Moor West, said: "I'm glad that the community has highlighted this to me, and they feel like they can trust me to take this forward. 

"I've spoken to some officers about this and we're looking to explore all options in the future."

A spokesperson from Cumbria Police added: "The Constabulary, together with partners from local authorities,  Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, National Highways, and DVSA review areas of concern and collision statistics.

"There is an existing Safety Camera Van site on Trumpet Terrace, opposite St May’s Church where they deploy regularly."