Border a590

The A590 is closed in both directions following a serious road traffic collision at Lindal in Ulverston.

The accident happened at around 5am and involved a Vauxhall Corsa and an HGV.

The 19-year-old driver of the Vauxhall Corsa, who is a man from Barrow, was airlifted to Royal Preston Hospital after suffering life threatening injuries.

The 39-year-old driver of the HGV, from Waberthwaite, suffered no injuries.

The fire service, air ambulance, and highway agency attended the scene.

The road is closed in both directions and will remain closed for the next three to four hours.

Police are asking motorists to avoid the driver and said light traffic can use the A5087 between Barrow and Ulverston.

HGV's are being asked to park up and wait or use A595 and A5092.

Road cleared after earlier accident on the A590 northbound at Force Lane.

The A590 is partially blocked due to an accident involving two vehicles at Force Lane.

There's one lane blocked on the A590 in Haverthwaite at the Levis Garth junction, because of an accident.

Transport minister Stephen Hammond is touring accident blackspots along the A590 in Cumbria with local MPs Tim Farron and John Woodcock. There have been almost 300 accidents along a stretch of the road in the past five years, eight of them fatal and thirty three of them serious.

Residents have been camapigning for improvements for the past ten years. Funding has been committed to making improvements including a roundabout at Greenodd. MPs and councillors will today push for a commitment as to when work will start.

The Transport Minister Stephen Hammond MP will personally visit accident black spots on the A590.

Local MP Tim Farron will take the minister along the route.

Afterwards Mr Hammond will meet with local campaigners whose strong opposition to plans to build a roundabout being scrapped led to the Government announcing £500,000 to be made available to improving the route.

Carlisle Crown Court has heard that a cyclist was killed because a car driver simply failed to see him as he rode to work on a Cumbrian dual carriageway.

51 year old Geoff Davis died after he was hit by a car coming out of a sliproad onto the A590 at Levens near Kendal in November last year.

Mr Davis was a well known outdoor enthusiast and Evangelical church elder who lived in Windermere Road, Kendal.

The car driver 56-year-old David Dixon - pleaded guilty at Carlisle Crown Court to causing his death by careless driving.

Dixon, of Longlands Lane, Heysham, was remanded on bail for background reports and will be sentenced on September 13.

During the hearing the court heard how there was no suggestion that Dixon had been driving too fast.

Prosecuting counsel Arthur Gibson said:

"This is a case, quite simply, where the unfortunate victim was riding his bicycle properly, the bicycle was properly lit and he was wearing appropriate clothing,

"He was there to be seen - but Mr Dixon, for whatever reason, didn't see him."

Judge Peter Hughes QC praised all those involved in the case for their "responsible and realistic attitude".

He said: "These are always tragic and very difficult cases indeed and I am grateful to everybody for not adding to the distress."

Tim Farron MP has spoken to our correspondent Gerry Foley about the fact the Roads Minister has pledged to back plans to introduce a roundabout at a South Lakes accident blackspot.

He said while this hurdle has been cleared momentum needs to be kept up.

Road safety campaigners are celebrating a major win after Roads Minister Mike Penning has pledged his support for a roundabout to be built at Greenodd junction on the A590.

In a reversal of the announcement made by the Highways Agency last week to scrap the plans, the Minister today said that subject to judicial process, the project will go forward as a committed scheme for 2013/14 and pledged £500,000 for the scheme to be drawn up.