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14
Sept
MPs urge Prime Minister to make A64 dualling a priority
Four North Yorkshire MPs have called on new Prime Minister Andy Burnham to make the long-awaited dualling of the A64 a priority for his government.
Kevin Hollinrake, Sir Alec Shelbrooke, Tom Gordon and Sir Julian Smith have written jointly to the Prime Minister arguing that upgrading the route would help deliver his pledge to drive economic growth across the country.
The MPs say the A64 is a “vital economic artery” linking York with Malton, Scarborough and the Yorkshire coast, as well as providing important connections to communities including Bridlington, Filey, Selby, Harrogate and Wetherby.
However, significant stretches remain single carriageway, which they say causes congestion, unreliable journey times and acts as a barrier to investment, tourism and economic growth.
Their intervention follows the establishment of the Government’s new Number 10 North initiative, which Mr Burnham has said will put the weight of central government behind regional economic growth and infrastructure.
In their letter, the MPs say:
The establishment of No10 North presents an opportunity to break that deadlock.
Dualling the A64 would improve safety and journey times, strengthen connections between York and our coastal and rural communities and, crucially, unlock investment, productivity and growth across North Yorkshire.
Mr Hollinrake said he and fellow North Yorkshire MPs had campaigned for improvements for more than a decade, repeatedly raising the issue with transport and Treasury ministers.
(From left) Tom Gordon, Sir Julian Smith and Sir Alec Shelbrooke
The Hopgrove to Barton section was previously included in the Government’s roads programme, with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying in 2020 that work should enable the scheme to be funded for construction during the 2025-30 investment period.
The York and North Yorkshire devolution deal subsequently stated that the Government would consider proposals to improve the A64 between Hopgrove Roundabout and Barton Hill as part of decisions on its third Road Investment Strategy.
However, the MPs say that more than ten years after the campaign began there is still no clear route to delivering the upgrade.
They have now asked Mr Burnham to make the A64 a priority for Number 10 North and work with them to establish a route towards finally dualling the road.
They added:
This is an opportunity to demonstrate in a tangible way what your commitment to growth across the North can mean in practice.
The MPs have also requested a meeting with the Prime Minister and his Number 10 North team to discuss taking the project forward.
North Yorkshire Council has previously backed the dualling of the road and pledged to work cross-party with national and local politicians to secure the upgrade.
York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Sakith has previously pointed out that both Labour and Conservative governments have chosen not to press ahead with the dualling work.
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