26.05.20
Route announced for £1bn Highways England transformation
Information has been announced (May 23) on the £1bn Infrastructure programme that will see the A66 upgraded as part of the Northern Trans-Pennine transformation.
It brings the project a step closer as the official preferred route is announced as well as the list of improvements Highways England wants to take into construction.
The improvements, between the M6 at Penrith and A1 at Scotch Corner, aim to improve journey times, reliability and resilience as well as regional and national connectivity and air quality and noise for residents.
The upgrade is a key component of the Northern Powerhouse agenda, supporting future economic growth in the North of England and promoting investment and levelling up.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:
“As we gradually reopen our society, we want to ensure communities across the North are able to benefit from smoother, safe, better connected journeys.
“Upgrading this vital national link will not only level up infrastructure in the region but will deliver benefits up and down the country - supporting tourism and movement between our key ports.”
Proposals reflect the most popular options revealed in the public consultation that took place last year and include give new bypasses, key junction improvements and an underpass at the congested Kemplay Bank roundabout near Penrith.
Other proposals include introducing five new bypasses, dualling some single carriageways and improving junctions for safer, smoother journeys.
The plan will contribute to benefits including the removal of high volumes of traffic, including HGVs from the villages being bypassed and upgrades to reduce collisions, competition from other vehicles and congestion for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.
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Highways England’s senior project manager Matt Townsend said:
“We are delighted more than 92 percent of people backed the idea of completing the dualling of the A66. Since the consultation ended ten months ago, we have carefully considered all the public responses. We have revisited issues such as the environmental impact of each option, how we can re-connect communities currently separated by the existing road and how to improve the route for pedestrians and cyclists.
“The options we have revealed today are the ones we want to take forward into construction, but they were also the most popular among people who responded in the consultation.
“We feel the proposals reflect ours and the Government’s vision of a Northern Trans-Pennine route fit for the rest of the century. They also reflect the aspirations of the majority of people, including a diverse range of interest groups, who engaged with us in many months of discussion or gave us their views during the consultation.”
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Image: Highways England Route