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| Flood-hit areas face travel chaos | Flood-hit areas face travel chaos |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of people in flood-hit Cumbria are facing travel chaos with 16 bridges out of action and at least 25 roads closed. | Thousands of people in flood-hit Cumbria are facing travel chaos with 16 bridges out of action and at least 25 roads closed. |
| Commuters are facing long detours to reach some towns and villages cut off in the wake of the destruction which hit parts of the county from Friday. | Commuters are facing long detours to reach some towns and villages cut off in the wake of the destruction which hit parts of the county from Friday. |
| Structural engineers and military experts are carrying out an urgent safety review of 1,800 bridges. | Structural engineers and military experts are carrying out an urgent safety review of 1,800 bridges. |
| Five secondary schools and 13 primary schools in the county are shut. | Five secondary schools and 13 primary schools in the county are shut. |
| My major concern is residents who are cut off. Things are getting desperate Workington MP Tony Cunningham | My major concern is residents who are cut off. Things are getting desperate Workington MP Tony Cunningham |
| Cockermouth town centre has been cordoned off by police as surveyors, structural engineers, utility workers and Environment Agency staff continue their clean-up work. | Cockermouth town centre has been cordoned off by police as surveyors, structural engineers, utility workers and Environment Agency staff continue their clean-up work. |
| County councillor, Duncan Stewart Fairbairn, said: "There aren't many roads in this county that don't have a bridge of one description or other. | County councillor, Duncan Stewart Fairbairn, said: "There aren't many roads in this county that don't have a bridge of one description or other. |
| "It is going to be chaos. You have people in the service industries, those working in care, policemen and teachers. And some will be travelling quite long distances. | "It is going to be chaos. You have people in the service industries, those working in care, policemen and teachers. And some will be travelling quite long distances. |
| "It will be a logistical nightmare." | "It will be a logistical nightmare." |
| The town of Workington has been split in two after the collapse of the Northside bridge on Friday and the closure of the Calva bridge, which has been condemned and is feared to be on the brink of collapse. | The town of Workington has been split in two after the collapse of the Northside bridge on Friday and the closure of the Calva bridge, which has been condemned and is feared to be on the brink of collapse. |
| Makeshift bridges | |
| Ch Supt Steve Johnson, of Cumbria Police, said: "Our understanding is that it either may fall down or need significant repair to get it working again. | |
| "That is going to cause disruption for some time into the future. | |
| "There are some big employers on the north side and Workington side and we are aware that there will be a big volume of vehicles on the A66 and A595 now they are open again. | |
| "We are asking people if they need to travel to travel with care." | |
| He said people on the north side of the town still had access routes to supermarkets in Maryport and the Cockermouth area. | |
| Tony Cunningham, MP for Workington, said anyone wishing to get to Seaton now faced a 90 mile journey instead of a trip that would normally take a few minutes. | Tony Cunningham, MP for Workington, said anyone wishing to get to Seaton now faced a 90 mile journey instead of a trip that would normally take a few minutes. |
| "We have concerns about people who have not got prescriptions, medication because the medical centre is down to its last nappies for babies. | "We have concerns about people who have not got prescriptions, medication because the medical centre is down to its last nappies for babies. |
| "I spoke to residents...they are distraught at what's happening, the police station is out of circulation because they have been flooded so it is difficult for the police. | "I spoke to residents...they are distraught at what's happening, the police station is out of circulation because they have been flooded so it is difficult for the police. |
| "My major concern is residents who are cut off. Things are getting desperate." | "My major concern is residents who are cut off. Things are getting desperate." |
| He said he had spoken to the Army about the possibility of makeshift bridges being erected while those which have been destroyed are rebuilt. | He said he had spoken to the Army about the possibility of makeshift bridges being erected while those which have been destroyed are rebuilt. |
| Hundreds of people across the county have been staying with friends and relatives since the record daily rainfall of Thursday and Friday last week led to the flooding of more than 1,300 homes. | Hundreds of people across the county have been staying with friends and relatives since the record daily rainfall of Thursday and Friday last week led to the flooding of more than 1,300 homes. |
| The shadow minister for the Environment, Floods and Water is due to visit Cumbria today. | |
| Anne McIntosh will be in Cockermouth, Keswick and Workington to see first-hand the devastation created by the floods. | |
| Flood claims in Cumbria and south Scotland are expected to be in the region of £50-100 million, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) said. |