Trees along Cockermouth's Main Street are due to be pollarded as part of Cumberland Council's ongoing programme of tree management and maintenance.
The work is scheduled to take place during the week commencing Monday 9 November 2026, over a five-day period, subject to weather conditions and operational requirements.
To allow the work to be carried out safely, temporary parking suspensions will be in place along sections of Main Street between 6am and 6pm. The work has been carefully planned in phases to minimise disruption and keep as much parking available as possible throughout the programme.
Works will be completed in four phases, with traffic management removed and parking reinstated as each section is completed.
The phased programme is planned as follows:
- Phase 1: Wordsworth House to High Sand Lane
- Phase 2: High Sand Lane to Cocker Bridge
- Phase 3: Cocker Bridge to Station Street
- Phase 4: Station Street to Wordsworth House
Advance signage will be in place, and motorists are asked to follow any temporary restrictions while the work is underway.
Pollarding is a recognised tree management technique that is carried out on a planned cyclical basis. The process involves cutting trees back to established pollard points before allowing new growth to develop. The trees are then managed through a regular programme of monitoring and maintenance.
Before any work takes place, checks are carried out to ensure there are no active nesting birds present. If nesting activity is identified, works would be postponed.
The Main Street works are expected to be completed over four days. Following this, the contractor will carry out pollarding of trees in Market Place. These works are not expected to require additional traffic management or parking restrictions.
The works are scheduled to be completed ahead of the installation of Christmas lights in the town centre.