‘Disappointment’ at four-month delay on decision to dual A66

Transport for the North has expressed disappointment at the government delaying a decision on whether to dual the A66.

The A66 is the main route connecting North Yorkshire and the Lake District. The Northern Trans-Pennine project would dual 50 miles of road from Penrith to Scotch Corner.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper was due to rule on the £1.3bn scheme on Tuesday this week.

But the decision has now been pushed back until March 7, 2024.

Mr Harper said:

“The reason for the extension is to allow for further consideration of matters including those not resolved at the time the examining authority’s report was received by the Secretary of State.

“This will include the consideration of information submitted by the applicant regarding impacts on the North Pennine Moors Special Area of Conservation, to ensure compliance with the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.”

Transport for the North, which was formed in 2018 to make the case for strategic transport improvements in northern England, said in a statement today:

“We are disappointed to hear of a delay to the decision on upgrading the A66. But the important thing is to get the right answer, which we strongly believe is upgrading this key route to improve connections and experience for the people that use it.

“Removing the bottlenecks along this key east-west corridor will make the road safer and more reliable for travellers and help freight get across the Pennines by linking ports on both coasts and providing onward connectivity to Scotland.

“It’s not only a hugely important route between the Lake District, North Yorkshire and the Tees Valley – and the dozens of communities in between – it also helps connect Scotland to our towns and cities.”

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£1billion bid launched to dual all of A66

One of the busiest roads in northern England could be made into a dual carriage way as part of a £1 billion plan revealed today.

National Highways, formerly Highways England, has launched a consultation into the project, which would dual the remaining parts of the road 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.

Baroness Vere, minister for roads, visited the consultation hub on the site of the former Llama Karma Kafe today, where she was joined by Neil Hudson, the Conservative MP for Penrith and The Border, along with local council and business leaders.

The consultation will run for six weeks until November 6. Following the outcome of the consultation, National Highways will apply for a development consent order which would pave the way for the project to be given the go-ahead.

Nick Harris, National Highways chief executive, said:

“We look forward to hearing people’s thoughts on our vision to bring far-reaching benefits to those who use and live near the route.

“By creating better links we can unlock access to tourism, jobs, essential services and new opportunities.”

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Baroness Vere said:

“Upgrading the A66 is a project at the heart of our plans to build back better and level up the north by improving infrastructure and boosting connections across the region.

“Whether you’re commuting, visiting the area on holiday, or transporting freight, this upgrade will bring huge benefits to the area by cutting congestion and speeding up journey times.

“This consultation is a great opportunity for people and businesses to help shape the future of this project so it works for everyone.”

You can have your say on the A66 scheme here.