RESIDENTS who say rat-running is making their lives a misery have blamed changes to Kendal's traffic system.

The residents, from High Tenterfell, Queen's Road and Gillinggate, claim that since the "phase one" changes were made to Kendal's roads in 2002, rat-running through their streets has escalated as motorists try to avoid the town centre.

They claim that the changes - which included reversing the flow of traffic on Lowther Street and introducing two-way flow on Sandes Avenue have displaced traffic on to their roads, which are in a Conservation Area.

When phase two, which will include changing Stricklandgate into a pedestrian priority zone, is introduced, the residents fear that the additional traffic will not be able to get down Lowther Street, and rat-running will be even worse.

High Tenterfell resident Marilyn Smith said: "Since the council have put phase one of their scheme in place, people can't get through the town, and we are finding that they are rat-running up through Gillinggate, up High Tenterfell and up Queen's Road.

"What we are worried about is when phase two goes in and they block up Stricklandgate completely, people won't be able to get down Lowther Street and they are all going to come up round this way."

More commercial vehicles, large lorries and wagons with trailers were now using the roads, and the speed humps on High Tenterfell and Queen's Road made an "horrendous" noise, she said. Residents found it impossible to sit outside in their gardens or have their windows open because of the racket.

"Really the people up here have had enough and that's what the petition's all about."

Around 150 signatures have already been collected. While not against pedestrianisation, Mrs Smith said the residents believed that before it was introduced, measures such as a park and ride system, or a relief road, were necessary.

She is planning to hand the petition to Cumbria County Council area support manager for South Lakeland Stuart Pate, and hopes to address a meeting of the South Lakeland local committee on October 1.

Mr Pate said he was grateful to be informed about the issue, but pointed out that traffic calming had been introduced on Queen's Road to reduce the dangers associated with rat-running.

He said that it was very difficult to prevent motorists from using specific roads.

Cumbria county councillor Dave Clarke, whose ward includes High Tenterfell and Queen's Road, supported the residents. Park-and-ride, better bus services and improved cycling and walking facilities were all needed before pedestrianisation, he added.