FRIENDS of the Lake District may have lost the A590 bypass battle – but the war goes on.

The conservation group has been against the bypass from the start and its members have not changed their minds now it has opened.

But the organisation which said the road would scar the Lake District is making the best of a bad job by working with villagers in High and Low Newton, to get the Highways Agency to remove big signs and lines from the stretch of A590 which is now a by road.

Judith Moore, policy officer of the Kendal- based group, said: “I don’t think our position will have changed. The old road hugged the bottom of the fell but the new road is now out in the vale. It is much higher and will be visible.

“The noise will carry up on to the fells where previously I don’t think there would have been a lot of noise. I think there will be increased road noise on Newton Fell. Traffic will travel much faster. From the 40mph through the villages they will now be travelling at 70mph. I think there will be wider noise and visual impacts.”

Of the new road, which was officially opened on Tuesday, she said: “We will have to wait and see but I have heard anecdotally that people have been very surprised at the scale of it and how high it is. They did not really realise how big it was going to be.

“It’s great for those who lived close to the old road, but now other people have got the new road at the back of their houses. The bypass passes very close to the existing villages. I think traffic noise may have been relieved for some people, but may now be increased for others.”

FOLD says higher speeds on the bypass and where it suddenly narrows towards Newby Bridge, could increase, rather than lessen, the danger of accidents.

Ms Moore said: “ Opinion has been divided all the way along but we have not held a grudge whatsoever. We have been working positively with the residents, with Cumbria County Council and with the Highways Agency.

“We want to work with people to do something positive about the old road, helping the villagers to get it detrunked and to get the big signs and the lines removed.”

It says the old road may be narrowed too by a scheme to create on street parking pays for residents.

And returning High Newton and Low Newton to traditional Lakeland villages is the one big benefit from building the 4.5km dual carriageway.