• Contact us
  • About us
  • Digital edition
  • Online archive
Monday, June 16, 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

    Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

    Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

    Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

    £37.7 million to tackle potholes and upgrade roads

    £37.7 million to tackle potholes and upgrade roads

    Over £38,000-worth of fake goods seized at Appleby Horse Fair

    Over £38,000-worth of fake goods seized at Appleby Horse Fair

    New bid for Appleby stallion sculpture revealed

    New bid for Appleby stallion sculpture revealed

    18th century Eden pub sold as owners retire

    18th century Eden pub sold as owners retire

    Tebay’s plans for battery storage unit

    Tebay’s plans for battery storage unit

    Pub landlord must remove Covid canopy

    Pub landlord must remove Covid canopy

    Flower fairies of Kirkby Stephen brighten people’s day

    Flower fairies of Kirkby Stephen brighten people’s day

  • Sport
    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

    Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

    Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

    Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

    £37.7 million to tackle potholes and upgrade roads

    £37.7 million to tackle potholes and upgrade roads

    Over £38,000-worth of fake goods seized at Appleby Horse Fair

    Over £38,000-worth of fake goods seized at Appleby Horse Fair

    New bid for Appleby stallion sculpture revealed

    New bid for Appleby stallion sculpture revealed

    18th century Eden pub sold as owners retire

    18th century Eden pub sold as owners retire

    Tebay’s plans for battery storage unit

    Tebay’s plans for battery storage unit

    Pub landlord must remove Covid canopy

    Pub landlord must remove Covid canopy

    Flower fairies of Kirkby Stephen brighten people’s day

    Flower fairies of Kirkby Stephen brighten people’s day

  • Sport
    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Boom times for Penrith during A66 upgrade project

by Ellis Butcher
12 July 2023
in Latest, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
The A66 at Kirkby Thore

The £1.3 billion A66 project is set to see a wave of new jobs coming to Penrith with dozens of new staff already making the town their workplace.

This summer, businesses are expected to start to see the first ripples of an economic wave as companies involved expand their workforces in  the town.

The green light for the mammoth construction project — effectively an HS2 for the nation’s roads network — is not expected officially from the Secretary of State for Transport until the end of November.

But preparations are gathering pace with £120 million of upfront funding being committed this year alone by National Highways, the Government-owned company and project lead, which has been at the wheel for two and a half years.

It confirmed this week that it has expanded its existing workforce in Penrith by 25 people recently, with local graduates employed.

Lee Hillyard, A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project director for National Highways, said: “By the late summer, we expect to have 150 people on the ground in the local Penrith area, who will be helping the economy by either walking to get a sandwich or going into Penrith at lunchtime, and starting to have an economic impact on the town.

“When we hit construction, that will rocket by between 4,000 and 6,000 people.” 

Of the jobs coming up, Mr Hillyard said it was in talks with the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership and would also be going into schools with a message that jobs in the construction industry are far broader than ‘driving a digger in a cold, wet field’ with top careers available, including construction law or communications. Ground investigation teams from around the UK are already staying locally as part of preliminary assessments at Kemplay Bank, and the Center Parcs junction.

Kier Construction, one of three delivery partners, is bringing in more staff to its offices at the Junction 40 Auction Mart site.

A further influx will set up at the former PFK offices at the mart, which are being converted to accommodate up to 100 staff.

And in the last week, the call for full-time engineers to be based in Penrith, has gone out by Balfour Beatty, another delivery partner. With “economic and social value” among the project’s priorities, local apprenticeship opportunities for young people are expected too.

The project, to start next spring, will last until 2029.

It is also going to generate roles for those living across a wide “commutable” area from Penrith, including Lancashire, Manchester, Liverpool, and even Scotland — helping to spread the benefit, Mr Hillyard explained.

The “east side” of the project — equivalent to a third of the scheme’s value — will hoover up a workforce drawn from the Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Darlington areas, who are largely expected to commute with many preferring to “go home to their own bed”.

But other incoming contractors and staff are going to need somewhere locally to either stay, shop, spend or socialise.

Talks have taken place with Cumbria Tourism, whose members include accommodation providers. But local house rentals may also surge as work colleagues seek to share large properties rather than living out of a suitcase and taking-up tourism accommodation.

Of the huge logistics exercise, Mr Hillyard said the sheer volume means the accommodation search will extend far beyond Penrith, while establishing “container villages” was a last option.

Mr Hillyard said: “Do I ship people to the work-sites rather than let them drive there? Do we push the accommodation further away and then bring people to a central point such as a park and ride to take the stress out of the last mile by taking them on a bus or vehicle, so you create less of an impact? Do I go and buy six hydrogen-powered buses? These are all the types of considerations coming up now.”

Jonathan Brook, leader of Westmorland and Furness Council, said: “This project will serve as a tremendous boost to the local economy. 

“Not only will it see jobs created for local residents, it will also bring people to work here from outside our area, leading to more money being spent in our local shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants.” 

Related Posts

Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown
Expert advice

Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

15 June 2025
Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith
News

Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

13 June 2025
£37.7 million to tackle potholes and upgrade roads
Latest

£37.7 million to tackle potholes and upgrade roads

13 June 2025
Over £38,000-worth of fake goods seized at Appleby Horse Fair
News

Over £38,000-worth of fake goods seized at Appleby Horse Fair

13 June 2025
New bid for Appleby stallion sculpture revealed
News

New bid for Appleby stallion sculpture revealed

13 June 2025
18th century Eden pub sold as owners retire
Food and Drink

18th century Eden pub sold as owners retire

13 June 2025
No Result
View All Result

Stay connected

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Most popular

Man admits sexually assaulting 16-year-old in Cumbrian town centre

Man admits sexually assaulting 16-year-old in Cumbrian town centre

13 June 2025
Flower fairies of Kirkby Stephen brighten people’s day

Flower fairies of Kirkby Stephen brighten people’s day

13 June 2025
Pub landlord must remove Covid canopy

Pub landlord must remove Covid canopy

13 June 2025
£900 raised for Zambia neonatal unit

£900 raised for Zambia neonatal unit

13 June 2025
18th century Eden pub sold as owners retire

18th century Eden pub sold as owners retire

13 June 2025
New bid for Appleby stallion sculpture revealed

New bid for Appleby stallion sculpture revealed

13 June 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald Logo

33 Middlegate
Penrith
Cumbria
CA11 7SY

Phone: 01768 862313
Email: news@cwherald.com

Registered in England as Barrnon Media Limited. No: 12475190
VAT registration number: 343486488

Explore

  • News
  • Sport
  • Farming
  • Property
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Your view

Useful links

  • Contact us
  • Photosales
  • Online archive
  • Buy your paper
  • Digital edition
  • North Lakes Living
  • Advertise
  • About us

Follow us on

© Barrnon Media Limited 2025

Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy

This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation
Review Your Cart
0
Discount
Add Coupon Code
Subtotal
Total Installment Payments
Bundle Discount
Checkout

 
0
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • more
    • North Lakes Living
    • Buy Photos
    • Buy your paper
    • About us
    • Contact us

© 2020 Cumberland & Westmorland Herald