Flooding has now affected the A66 near Greta Bridge and the police and the Highways Agency were monitoring the lake at Ambleside overnight as water was spilling onto the road.

Motorists are advised to use alternative routes in this area which may take longer and only be accessible by 4x4 vehicles.

Meanwhile a number of bridges remain closed with many still in need of structural inspections.

Eden Bridge, which links North Carlisle to the rest of the city, is still closed today.

An underwater inspection could not be completed yesterday due to high water levels and Cumbrian County Council said it will not be reopened to traffic or pedestrians until it is found to be structurally safe.

With Rickerby Memorial Footbridge also closed there is now no vehicle or pedestrian route across the Eden in the city. Those without their own car will have to make use of public transport to access the south side of the river.

Despite that warning, some people have been attempting to cross it.

People living north of the River Eden face a gruelling daily treck along the city's northern bypass. Many areas of the city are suffering congestion as a result.

Police have also received reports of people ignoring warnings not to cross closed bridges across the county.

Eden Bridge is one of 131 bridges across the county the council identified as needing inspection. Of these, 72 have been inspected and the remainder were set to be completed yesterday.

Pooley Bridge and Middleton Hall Bridge have both been completely lost, while Little Braithwaite Bridge, Gowan Old Bridge (Staveley), Hawes Bridge (Natland), Abbey Bridge (Staveley) and Millers Footbridge in Cockermouth have been partially lost.

Divers were due to examine Greta Bridge (Keswick), Derwent Bridge (Cockermouth), Eamont Bridge (near Penrith) and St Lawrence Bridge (Appleby) and the bridge at New Road, Burneside. These are all closed pending inspections.

Rickerby Memorial Footbridge (Carlisle) is closed pending bridge repairs.

While the A69 was reopened yesterday, weight restrictions remain in place.

Officials are reminding wagon drivers not to ignore the 7.5tn limit, but to instead find alternative routes.

Vehicles which are affected by strong winds are being advised to avoid using the A66. Drivers of vehicles such as empty lorries or caravans are encouraged to find less exposed routes until conditions subside.

ROAD CLOSURES

  • B5322 near St Johns and the Vale for four mile
  • Plains Road, Wetheral 
  • Greenside Road, Glenridding 
  • Skirgills Lane, Penrith, bridge closed 
  • B6412, Langwathby, bridge damaged 
  • Ouse Bridge, Bassenthwaite 
  • A592 Pooley Bridge to Kirkstone 
  • A591 Chestnut Hill to Dunmail Raise 
  • B6259 Warcop Road to A685 Kirby Stephen 
  • B6542 Appleby 
  • A6 Shap to Orton. Just passable at Plumpton

Meanwhile there is also some rail disruption and buses will replace trains between Dumfries and Carlisle until the end of service today