Work to build a controversial crossing in Carlisle has been delayed – with the plans set to go under the council spotlight again.

A petition set up opposing plans for the pedestrian link from the city centre to the Castle on Castle Way attracted more than 1,500 signatures in just a week.

And the city council's own 'scheme for submission of petitions' rules state that any petition containing more than 1,000 signatures must be debated by the full council.

The next full council meeting will not take place until November 8.

The decision to give the plans the go-ahead provoked strong opposition online.

The council's development and control committee approved plans for the crossing last month, with seven voting in favour, one against and four abstaining from the vote.

This crossing is intended to provide a better link between the city centre and one of the main tourist attractions in the county.

But Gareth Ellis, Tory councillor for Belah, said that work should be postponed until both the plans and subsequent petition are discussed by the full council.


Gareth Ellis He said: “I would ask that the executive postpone any work until it has been discussed at a full council meeting, as is in the petition policy.”

The scheme for submission of petitions states: “The council will endeavour to consider the petition at its next meeting, although on some occasions this may not be possible and consideration will then take place at the following meeting."

The authority will decide how to respond. It could take the action requested, refuse the move put forward - or commission further investigation."

Colin Glover, leader of the city council, confirmed that the Castle Way crossing would be discussed again at the meeting on November 8.

He said: “Nothing will be going ahead as yet.

“It'll be discussed at the next full council meeting and we'll go from there.”

The petition asked for a rethink of plans.

It said: “Castle Way and Caldewgate already has congestion problems thanks to the lights outside Sainsburys and is a cause of misery on a daily basis for commuters.

“There are already three points of crossing to the castle, the subway, the Millennium Bridge and the underpass on West Tower Street.

“No local person who uses this route regularly wants to see this go ahead.”

Councillor David Shepherd, who was the only member of the development control committee to object to the plans, said: “I would like to see it overturned.

"These people that have gone about getting this petition together, I think they’re absolutely right.

"It wasn’t as if [the decision] was unanimous.

"There was only seven out of 12 in favour of it. So it’s not as if it were a big majority decision.

“The people that spoke up against it brought up some really valid points.

"I’m pleased that at least it’s being looked at and there’s a possibility it could be overturned.

"Whether it could be overturned or not I don’t know.

"I was totally against it. I think it would be terrible for Carlisle if this were to go ahead.”

Mr Shepherd thinks a remodelling of the existing underpass would be a better solution.

His main concerns over plans for the crossing are the added fumes from standing traffic and that ambulances and other emergency services might get held up.

“That is the absolute main artery between east and west and to put another obstacle to the flow of traffic is to me, both unnecessary and will create chaos,” he added.