Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will conduct a study on the potential merits and feasibility of upgrading the trunk road section of the A595 in 2016.

Highways England, the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, and Cumbria County Council commissioned a study to examine the connectivity, capability, resilience, and reliability of the A595. This will conclude later this month. Highways England has also commenced its evidence-based Route Strategy process. If this section of the A595 is included in the priority list, the next stage would be to consider potential improvement options, which would be developed during the next Road Investment Strategy (RIS) period (2020-2025).