Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of transport infrastructure in Cumbria; and if he will conduct a feasibility study on upgrading the A595 from Carlisle to Whitehaven.

The Government and the rail industry work closely with local stakeholders to assess the adequacy of infrastructure and determine investment priorities for each five year Rail Investment Strategy for England and Wales.　 Work is currently underway to inform decisions on the Strategy for 2019-2024

In April 2015 Highways England published its Route Strategies, which included an assessment of the main issues, challenges and investment priorities for the sections of the Strategic Road Network in Cumbria, including the A590, A595, A66 and M6.

The Infrastructure Act 2015 requires Highways England to maintain an appropriate evidence base on the state and performance of the Strategic Road Network, which will inform the setting of future Road Investment Strategies. Plans for reviewing the current Route Strategies, including those covering Cumbria, will be announced later this year.

It remains the responsibility of Cumbria County Council, in consultation with Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, to consider the case for upgrading the stretches of the A595 that fall under its authority and to consider how any feasibility studies or upgrades might be funded.