PROPOSALS for a depot to house motorway "jam-busters" have been submitted to South Lakeland District Council planners.

If given the go-ahead, the site at Junction 36, Millness would be used as a base by Highways Agency traffic officers who are due to begin patrolling stretches of motorway in the area from March next year.

As part of a £14.6 million move to reduce congestion and improve road safety in the North West, teams of so-called "jam-busting" officers will work alongside police to offer motorists round-the-clock support.

They will also be working from a base near Carlisle.

As well as assisting with accidents and traffic management, uniformed officers in high visibility vehicles will be on hand to deal with diversions and remove debris from the road in an attempt to get traffic flowing smoothly and prevent delays.

Transport Minister Derek Twigg said the officers were already helping to make journeys more reliable and reduce the amount of time drivers spent in jams after the scheme was launched in Cheshire in September.

"By simplifying traffic management responsibilities, the new officers will enable the police to focus their efforts on their core role of tackling crime," he said.