Bus stops to be moved months after £19.7m revamp

Cumberland Council said it would take 12 weeks to relocate bus stops on English Street

Bus stops that formed part of a £19.7m regeneration project will have to be moved, just months after they were put in place.

Cumberland Council said a safety assessment flagged issues with the stops on English Street in Carlisle, which formed part of the Southern Gateway project.

Work on the key city route was completed in June after months of disruption, but this week the road was closed again to allow for fresh work, expected to last 12 weeks, to start.

A council spokesman said: "Prior to the new space opening, a final safety audit was undertaken and identified some issues in relation to vehicles passing whilst buses are waiting at all the shelters."

The Labour-led authority refused to confirm if the bus stops had been installed in the wrong place and referred to the work as "appropriate amendments" to the scheme.

"We are working in close partnership with our contractor to deliver these improvements as efficiently as possible," the spokesman said.

"We appreciate the public's patience and understanding as we complete these works and look forward to unveiling a space that meets the highest standards for safety and accessibility."