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Summer clamp down on underage e-cigarette sales

RETAILERS have been tested in an operation to clamp down on underage vape sales over the summer holidays. Cumberland Council’s Trading Standards Service has been running a test purchasing operation over the last 10 days – resulting in around 83 per cent of businesses refusing to sell to underage teens. Results varied by city or town, with retailers in Whitehaven refusing sales in 100 per cent of cases and retailers in Maryport refusing only 34 per cent of the test sales. Number of underage test sales refused per city or town: Whitehaven – 100 percent. Carlisle and Wigton – 92 per cent. Workington – 62 percent. Maryport – 34 percent.   There are strict laws on nicotine vaping products, and it is a criminal offence to sell them to persons under the age of 18 years or purchase them on their behalf. Traders found to be breaking these rules risk being prosecuted and fined up to £2,500. Disposable e-cigarettes can be appealing to under-18s due to their flavours and bright colours. E-cigarettes may contain nicotine which is highly addictive and young people who use these may be encouraged to take up smoking in the future.

Successful completion of Millom resurfacing project 

We are pleased to announce the completion of a resurfacing project in the charming village known as The Hill, in southern Cumbria, near Millom.  

Over £35,000 was invested by the council to ensure the success of this initiative, which was completed in just four days. This project included the rejuvenation of some of the narrowest sections of roads within the village.

Improvement works at Wetheral Shields

Works at Wetheral Shields have started this week and scheduled to last for eleven days, until Wednesday 8 September, weather permitting.  

To enable the council to complete works safely there will be a full road closure on the C1038 between the B6263 and Knothill, with a signed diversion route in place.  

Road closure at Corney Fell

We unfortunately had to close a bridge at Buckbarrow on the U4064, Corney Fell, this week after significant concerns were raised about the bridge structure and strength of the bridge to carry any vehicles.

A diversion route and signage has been put in place along the A595 from Waberthwaite to Duddon Bridge. The emergency road closure will remain until further notice.

Work will now be carried out to consider options on replacing the bridge and the public will be informed of progress.

Cumberland Council apologises for any inconvenience the bridge closure and traffic diversion might cause.

For more information, please contact Cumberland Council’s Highways Hotline on 0300 373 3736 or visit the Cumberland Council website.

Latest on waste collections in the former Allerdale area

Following the announcement that the strike action that has impacted on the waste and recycling collection services in the former Allerdale area has now ended, collections of garden waste are due to restart from week commencing Monday 4 September. Allerdale Waste Services is working towards resuming collections of paper/cardboard from week commencing 11 September. Further updates and confirmation of this will be provided in due course. Recycling sites continue to be available for glass, cans, plastics, paper, and card. Sites continue to be serviced more regularly. Details of sites can be found on our Recycling Banks webpage.

You’ll soon be having some fun - on the Boardwalk!

Work is about to start on Maryport’s new Boardwalk which will link two key destinations in the town.

The new stretch of accessible pathway will join the town’s promenade and harbourside, crossing the sandy area known locally as La’al Harbour.

Contractors will start on site on Monday 4 September and will fence off the beach so the public are protected from the works. This fencing will be moved, as required, to accommodate the tides. A diversion will be in place along Strand Street which runs parallel to the Boardwalk’s route.

The project is expected to take around three months to complete. The Boardwalk is part of the transformation of Maryport’s public realm using money from the Government’s Future High Streets Fund.

Cumberland Council seeks public input on Keswick Traffic Restrictions

We have launched a statutory consultation to gather for feedback on proposal traffic and parking restrictions in Keswick and the surrounding area.  

The statutory consultation period is from Friday 25 August to Friday 15 September. It follows an earlier informal consultation, where people were able to send feedback and share their thoughts with the council about the Keswick Traffic Restrictions.

The council is reminding the public, that if they want their opinions to be considered, then it is crucial that people respond to this statutory consultation.

Successful summer Holiday Activity and Food programme comes to a close

This summer, Cumberland’s Holiday Activity and Food programme has successfully brought fun, learning, and nourishment to local children throughout the school break. With a commitment to providing enriching opportunities and addressing food insecurity for young people in Cumberland, this initiative has left many happy memories.

The Holiday Activity and Food programme, which is funded by the Department for Education, has been running since 2021 and this summer the scheme has funded over 17,000 sessions for young people, who were eligible to join the activities for free across Cumberland. The project’s success is thanks to dedicated community partners, primary and secondary schools and the Cumberland Council team, helping to bridge the gap by providing nutritious meals and engaging activities throughout the summer

Join Team Cumberland

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