Skip to main content

New route slashes HGV Carlisle city centre through traffic by over third

The number of Heavy Goods Vehicles travelling through Carlisle’s city centre is estimated to have been reduced by more than a third since the new multi-million euro Carlisle Northern Development Route opened in February 2012.
August 17, 2012 Read time: 3 mins
The number of Heavy Goods Vehicles travelling through Carlisle’s city centre is estimated to have been reduced by more than a third since the new multi-million euro Carlisle Northern Development Route opened in February 2012.

Information from a network of 20 permanent and temporary traffic counters around the city showing ‘before and after’ CNDR road usage is said to be starting to build a more meaningful picture of the impact the new road has had on Carlisle.

Detailed information from the traffic counters is now available via an interactive pin map on Cumbria County Council’s (CCC) website at %$Linker: External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 oLinkExternal www.cumbria.gov.uk/cndr cumbria false http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/cndr false false%>
It shows a marked reduction in both cars and HGVs along the main north to south arterial route through the city – the A7 and A595 – as an average of more than 10,000 vehicles a day use the new 8.25km/5.13-mile road.

Carlisle’s busiest stretch of road, the A595 at Castle Way, has shown a 16% reduction in all vehicles from 38,083 a day before the opening of CNDR to 32,050 afterwards (with a 41% reduction in HGVs from 6,860 to 4,060). Other city centre hotspots have shown similar reductions, with the A7 at Stanwix Bank showing a 16% reduction in all vehicles and a 32% reduction in HGVs.

CNDR is said by CCC to have quickly become a key route to travel between the south west of the city and the industrial areas to the north - a big factor for employers looking to develop good communications channels in areas ripe for commercial development.

As expected, there are higher levels of traffic on certain radial routes that have direct links to the CNDR. CCC says it has already set aside additional capital funding to counter this effect and also improve links to CNDR for pedestrians and cyclists along these radial routes.

A spokesperson for CCC warned that as road usage data can be skewed by a number of unrelated external factors, from the weather and the economy to what’s on telly, these new CNDR related figures need to be treated with an element of caution. Traffic engineers will carry out a more detailed traffic movement study later this year, which will also assess average journey times.

Councillor Tony Markley, Cumbria County Council's Cabinet member responsible for highways and economy, said: "Carlisle has embraced its new major road. Both commuters and industry in North Cumbria have quickly adjusted their travelling habits to get the full benefits from CNDR. This project has been a huge investment for the county council and one which will reap rewards for many years to come in terms of economic and environmental payback.”

Related Content

  • Caterpillar’s senior executives outline the group’s drive for greater overall efficiency
    January 6, 2017
    Caterpillar senior executives Edward Rapp and David Bozeman have pinpointed “systems integration” as one of the equipment giant’s future targets. Speaking at Conexpo 2014 this week, Edward Rapp, Caterpillar group president said that the introduction of Tier 4 Final engine technology has been a landmark moment for Caterpillar but added that emissions systems are not the answer in themselves to improved performance. “The secret sauce is not the Tier 4, it’s the systems integration” said Rapp.
  • Caterpillar’s senior executives outline the group’s drive for greater overall efficiency
    March 6, 2014
    Caterpillar senior executives Edward Rapp and David Bozeman have pinpointed “systems integration” as one of the equipment giant’s future targets. Speaking at Conexpo 2014 this week, Edward Rapp, Caterpillar group president said that the introduction of Tier 4 Final engine technology has been a landmark moment for Caterpillar but added that emissions systems are not the answer in themselves to improved performance. “The secret sauce is not the Tier 4, it’s the systems integration” said Rapp.
  • First public outing for Liebherr tower crane at INTERMAT
    January 6, 2017
    Liebherr used INTERMAT 2012 to show its new 380 EC-B 16 Litronic flat-top crane. The 380tonne unit tops the 15-model range, which starts from 50tonnes. The new “flagship” can lift loads of up to 3,400kg at its 75m maximum radius. With the Litronic system, the 380 EC-B 16 can provide up to 20% more load lift at the push of a button. This is achieved by integrating the load-moment limiting system, the ABB operating-range limiting system and the MDA machine data evaluation program.
  • First public outing for Liebherr tower crane at INTERMAT
    April 20, 2012
    Liebherr used INTERMAT 2012 to show its new 380 EC-B 16 Litronic flat-top crane. The 380tonne unit tops the 15-model range, which starts from 50tonnes. The new “flagship” can lift loads of up to 3,400kg at its 75m maximum radius. With the Litronic system, the 380 EC-B 16 can provide up to 20% more load lift at the push of a button. This is achieved by integrating the load-moment limiting system, the ABB operating-range limiting system and the MDA machine data evaluation program.