Residents of the Lake District and users of Coniston Water are being given the chance to comment on new byelaws which will allow the legendary Bluebird jet-powered craft back to the Lake District National Park.

Next week concerned parties will have the chance to comment on amended lake byelaws which would allow the record-breaking vessel to once again travel along Coniston Water at speeds above those currently allowed under the lake’s regulations.

In 2008, the team rebuilding Bluebird K7 asked the Lake District National Park Authority to consider amending the Coniston Water byelaws, to allow the craft to undertake a proving trial in excess of 10mph.

At the moment the Coniston Water byelaws do allow vessels to exceed the 10mph speed limit during legitimate world record bids. But, although Bluebird still holds the outright British water speed record of 276.3mph, the team behind the rebuilding project accept it could not make a serious challenge during an event such as the annual Records Week event in the autumn. This was the reason behind a request for a change in the byelaws to allow Bluebird to carry out a trial at speeds above 10mph.

Following a public consultation last spring, the LDNPA agreed to allow the Bluebird Project to hold a one-off event on Coniston Water to enable a proving trial of the re-built Bluebird, subject to applying specific conditions related to the timing of the event, health and safety and environmental considerations, including risks of water and noise pollution.

Arising from this, new Coniston Water Byelaws have been drafted and it’s these amendments which people are being asked to comment on.

From February 1 all the details can be viewed via the LDNPA’s website at www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/bluebirdconsultation or paper copies of the Byelaws and Response Form are available from the authority’s Kendal head office at Murley Moss, Oxenholme Road, LA9 7RL, tel: 01539 724555.