Money for Cumbria's bridges under threat

Cumbria's bridges are set to miss out on critical funding to improve flood resilience, unless the government changes its mind about slashing funding for infrastructure projects across Cumbria. South Lakes MP Tim Farron is calling on the Chancellor to provide all the funding required for bridge improvements.

Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) had originally put forward a £165million bid to the government for funding. However, it is now likely that it will only receive £10-14 million, meaning almost all of the projects will be scrapped.

Included in the LEP's bid was £25 million that would have covered improvements to bridges across Cumbria. Tim has written to the Chancellor urging him to provide the LEP with the funds to allow this vital work to go ahead.

Tim said: "Upgrades to our bridges are absolutely critical, making them more flood resilient and stopping them contributing to flooding problems. Failing to fund these projects shows the Conservative government is giving in to short-term thinking and leaving local residents to pay the price when floods hit. Cumbria was devastated by the floods last winter, and the government has a duty to do all it can to ensure that doesn't happen again - these bridge improvements must go ahead."