Plans to upgrade the A66 route between Penrith and Scotch Corner have been given the go-ahead by the Government.
The A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project is a key part of the Government’s £24 billion investment into roads, it said.
Now that the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project Development Consent Order has been approved, National Highways said it can now look ahead to the construction phase.
Archaeological work and utilities diversions are currently taking place along the A66.
Once the Development Consent Order decision challenge period has concluded next month, the next step will be for Government to review and approve the Full Business Case.
This project – the biggest single investment in the North’s road network in a generation – will help transform the remaining single carriageway sections along the 50-mile stretch of the A66 between Cumbria, County Durham and North Yorkshire.
Stewart Jones, National Highways project director for the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project, said: “We are delighted to have received approval and to be able to give the people of Cumbria, County Durham and North Yorkshire some positive news.
“A lot of hard work has gone into getting us to this position. Now we can push on and deliver this project as efficiently as possible.”
The route carries high levels of freight, with 25% of the traffic being HGVs, more than twice the national average for a road of this nature.
The improvements will also reduce delays and queues during busy periods and improve the performance of key junctions such as the A66/A1 and the M6 junction 40, National Highways said.
Mr Jones added: “We will be part of community life for the next few years, so we want to make sure we are giving back. We will be using local companies and employment during our construction work, which will help support the local economy.
“We want to work with local schools, colleges, academies, universities and community groups, encouraging the engineers of the future to consider a career in construction and provide training opportunities.”
Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and the Border, said: “Having supported my constituents to see this scheme flourish and opened the project hub, I know I speak for everyone when I say we are delighted to get the go ahead to get spades in the ground and deliver real results for local people and our whole region.
“Today’s announcement is the culmination of years of hard work – from community campaigners demanding safer routes and local businesses advocating for improved east-west transport links, to the tireless efforts of the National Highways team and our Conservative Government’s attentive decision-makers levelling up the UK.
“This vital upgrade will deliver faster travel times with less congestion, level up our regional economy and – most importantly – make the road safer and reduce accidents. Now the real work begins.”
