HIGHWAY engineers are anticipating teething problems when radical changes to Kendal's traffic flows go "live" and are urging motorists to be patient.

Rob Lawley, senior consultant with Capitadbs, which is contracted by Cumbria County Council to maintain highways in South Lakeland, said that when the current system was introduced as an experiment in 1968 "quite a few adjustments were needed to get it to work properly."

"We are trying to envisage as many problems as possible and build in safeguards," said Mr Lawley.

"We are confident that the system will prove successful and drivers and users will see more benefit than the existing system.

"It's being introduced in an experimental state and the county council will have to make a decision on whether to make it permanent, amend it or remove it and that will depend on how it operates."

Phase one of the five-year traffic plan to ease the town's congestion problems - which comes into operation on Sunday, April 28 - will see vehicles travelling down Lowther Street, two-way flows on Sandes Avenue, New Road and Blackhall Road (between New Road and Stramongate) and the introduction of pedestrian crossings with traffic signals at key road junctions.

It is expected to cost in the region of £430,000 including supervision and consultancy costs.

The overall cost of the scheme is £5 million.

Mr Lawley said that if a decision to make phase one permanent is made then areas of the carriageway will be re-surfaced with special surfacing materials at approaches to signals, short cycle lanes would be created and junction improvements - involving a roundabout outside the County Hotel - would be made at Ann Street/Longpool so that a section of Station Road can become two-way.

Phase two of the scheme would see the introduction of other measures to encourage a modal shift to get people out of their cars and using public transport instead.

Bus routes around town would be improved and it is still hoped that a park and ride facility will be provided off the A591.

Negotiations over two possible sites are continuing but Mr Lawley would not reveal where they are situated.

"We have a couple of sites under consideration.

We are still trying to get them to a stage where they are acceptable," said Mr Lawley.

Phase three would involve the pedestrianisation of Stricklandgate from Allhallows Lane to Library Road and this is scheduled to happen by the year 2006.