Morecambe Bay park plans floated

Morecambe Bay covers Lancashire and Cumbria

Plans to boost tourism in the coastal areas of Morecambe Bay and the Duddon have been proposed.

The Morecambe Bay Partnership is looking at ways to regenerate the area, which crosses Lancashire and Cumbria, while protecting its wildlife.

Susannah Bleakley from the partnership said the area had plenty of potential, but many of its assets were undersold.

She is keen for the area to be given regional park status - like the Mersey Waterfront or Weaver Valley.

'Broaden tourism'

"There is the opportunity for a great deal more investment and for more visitors to the area," she said.

"Morecambe Bay is a huge place - there are some great places to visit that are not widely known," she added.

"There are already informal recreational activities - water sports, walking - but we think that by looking at the place as a whole there is the potential to broaden the tourism offer."

She said one of the ideas that had been suggested was a ferry from Heysham to Barrow or Fleetwood to Barrow.

Morecambe Bay Partnership has already received a grant from the Regional Parks Xchange, to fund further consultation on granting the area regional park status.