Last updated at 17:27, Monday, 08 February 2010

THE government has been urged to provide funding to “reconnect” a South Lakeland community split in two by the floods.

FLOOD DAMAGED: The footbridge at Backbarrow

The footbridge over the River Leven at Backbarrow was damaged by rapid waters in November, leaving it dangling near a sewage pipe.

It was taken down by United Utilities for safety reasons last month to stop the potential for sewage leaking into the water.

The bridge over the Leven at the Whitewater Hotel is also out of action after it was battered by the swollen Leven waters.

The footbridge provided a route from Backbarrow village to the A590 underpass, which allows safe pedestrian access to Brow Edge.

Now pedestrians who want to cross the A590 must cross the road itself.

Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, has called on the government to provide funding to replace the footbridge.

Mr Farron said residents currently have to drive from one side of the village to the other and some without cars are effectively stranded and cannot reach the village shop and doctors surgery.

Mr Farron said: “We’ve heard a lot about the work being done to reconnect communities further north in the county but residents in Backbarrow have heard very little.

“The missing footbridge and damaged road bridge are causing real hardship to local residents and is even threatening the viability of the village shop.

“The government said a lot of positive things just after the floods hit last year.

“Now is the time for them to keep to their word and help join the community of Backbarrow back together again.”

Clive Sewell, owner of Leven Valley General Store, said business has slumped since the floods.

He said: “Obviously straight away the Whitewater Hotel shut and so did the timeshares.

“It’s been very difficult for the last six weeks or so. Trade has been affected considerably, we’re down at least 50 per cent.

“We’re not making any money at all.

“We’re covering overheads and that’s it.

“We can’t really carry on indefinitely like this.”

Children who attend Leven Valley CE School but live on the other side of the A590 have been using a free service provided by Lecks Travel and funded by Cumbria County Council.

The school’s headteacher, Ian Nicol, said while the system is not ideal, it is not causing any problems.

He said: “The school community have handled it very well. The parents are very grateful to the school transport team from the county council who have been providing a bus service every school day.

“It’s obviously an inconvenience but I guess it’s been accepted as just one of those things at the moment.

“I could imagine as time goes on, the desire to have it back is going to increase but it has not had a real impact on the school at this stage.”

The county council owned the footbridge and is responsible for the bridge at the Whitewater Hotel, which is now safe for pedestrians, but not traffic.

First published at 12:58, Monday, 08 February 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk