A GOVERNMENT minister has ruled out a climbdown on the 10 mph speed limit on Windermere.

Junior Environment Minister Chris Mullin delivered the news during a "fact-finding" mission to the Lake District yesterday (Thursday).

Mr Mullin, who sparked a storm of protest when he took the final decision to impose the speed limit last February, told the Gazette: "The matter is over and done with.

It has been debated for seven years but that debate is now over and the decision has been made - that is it."

Wearing a flat cap and walking boots, the minister, who claims to be a keen walker, braved freezing conditions to walk several metres from Thirlmere into the foothills towards Helvellyn where a stone-pitched footpath was recently laid by North West Water and the national park authority

Mr Mullin, MP for Sunderland, was in the area to discuss management issues in the national park including access to open country, transport and housing.

Bob Cartwright, head of park management, said the authority was using the minister's visit to impress upon him the need to increase funding to help deal with the impact of the hundreds of thousands of people who visit the area each year.

Norman Park, of Shepherds boatyard in Windermere, has been at the forefront of the campaign to get the speed limit lifted before it comes into force in 2005.

He responded to Mr Mullin's statement by saying: "I would not have expected him to say anything else - when was the last time you saw a politician stand up and admit he was wrong.

"The campaign goes on undeterred by Mr Mullin's ramblings because the whole decision is wrong for the area and wrong for Cumbria."