Concerns over additional traffic, the environment and construction have been raised over a planned £1 billion upgrade of one of England’s busiest roads.
National Highways, formerly Highways England, today published a summary report of its consultation into the project to dual the remaining parts of the A66 between the M6 at Penrith and A1 at Scotch Corner.
The road is used by thousands of drivers in the north of England each day to travel between the north east and Cumbria and on to Scotland. Many experience delays due to the regular changes from single to dual carriageways.
A total of 645 said they were in favour of dualling the remaining single carriageway, whereas 68 opposed the move and 87 said they were neutral.
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In its summary report, National Highways said the most common concerns raised were over construction, traffic and the environment.
It said:
“Some people raised issues about an insufficient reduction in traffic when the project was finished, with a concern that dualling could attract additional traffic from other routes.”
Others had concerns that the project could disrupt wildlife and increase congestion during construction.
Appleby Fair could move
The report also reveals National Highways is considering an alternative to the proposed replacement of the travelling community’s Brough Hill Fair site on the section between Appleby and Brough. It says:
“In the autumn 2021 statutory consultation, a site to the east of Warcop was earmarked on land belonging to the Ministry of Defence — known as the “bivvy” site.
“An alternative location, approximately 1.6 miles east from the current site, is now also being considered in response to feedback from the statutory consultation.”
The responses are helping to shape the final design and inform National Highways’ application for a Development Consent Order in May 2022 which, if successful, will pave the way for the project to dual the entire road to go ahead.
Lee Hillyard, National Highways’ A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project director, said:
“We’re delighted so many people have taken such a keen interest in our proposals.
“Today we’ve published our statutory consultation summary report and spring 2022 project update, which is the perfect opportunity to provide the latest information and show how we are acting on the feedback we’ve received.”