TEMPORARY traffic lights which have operated for more than three years at a flood damaged South Cumbria bridge have cost more than £70,000 to operate.

And the revelation of the cost of the measures to Cumbria County Council (CCC) sparked angry criticism from opposition councillors despite a CCC spokesman this week advising that repair work to Middleton Hall Bridge, which stands on the A683 between Kirkby Lonsdale and Sedbergh, is due to finally take place between July and September this year.

“Even if the bridge is repaired as has now been scheduled, it will still be nearly four years after the floods by the time it is done,” said CCC Conservative group leader Cllr James Airey.

“It’s time Cumbria’s Labour and Lib Dem county council stopped wasting vast amounts of cash each year on what were supposed to be temporary lights.”

The bridge was badly damaged by Storm Desmond in December 2015 and shortly afterwards was replaced by a temporary one lane bailey bridge, necessitating the installation of traffic light controls pending the completion of repairs to the original bridge.

But in response to a Freedom of Information request, the total cost of the lights to date was revealed as £71,507.

“These figures will come as a huge source of anger and disappointment to locals who have had to put up with three years of disruption on the A683,” said Cllr Sheila Capstick, who represents the area on CCC.

“It beggars belief that £71,000 is being spent keeping these lights in place when all the residents want to see is the bridge repaired.”