A campaign group has failed in an attempt to bring a High Court legal challenge over the government’s approval of a plan to dual the A66.

The BBC reports that the Transport Action Network asked the court for approval to challenge the then-transport secretary’s decision from March to allow the dualling of an 18-mile (29km) stretch between Penrith in Cumbria and Scotch Corner, North Yorkshire.

The group claims the project – which it says will cost £1.5bn – will increase carbon emissions by 2.7m tonnes.

But the report says the Department for Transport and National Highways both opposed the legal action at a hearing on Wednesday, with Mr Justice Mould dismissing the case on Friday.

In a ruling, the judge said the bid “does not raise an arguable basis” to claim the secretary of state was wrong to grant the order.

In a recent Highways Voices podcast, National Highways CEO Nick Harris discussed legal challenges to road schemes, saying that they consider environmental issues during the planning process and pointing out that his organisation has never lost a case.

(Picture – Mapillary)