The Secretary of State for Transport has given the green light to National Highways’ £1.3bn scheme to upgrade a 29km stretch of the A66 between Cumbria and Yorkshire.
The major project proposes to upgrade seven sections of single carriageway to dual carriageway along the A66 between the M6 Junction 40 at Penrith and the A1 at Scotch Corner in North Yorkshire. The dualling work will cover a total of 29km, reports Ground Engineering.
It also proposes to improve key junctions on the A66 between M6 Junction 40 and the A1 at Scotch Corner.
National Highways submitted its development consent order (DCO) application for the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project to the Planning Inspectorate in July 2022. The project was then delayed by four months, with extra time needed to assess its impacts on a conservation area.
Following the secretary of state’s decision to grant the scheme a DCO on 7 March, National Highways can look ahead to the construction phase.
A team of Amey Consulting and Arup has been involved in the design development of the scheme.
Balfour Beatty, Keltbray and Kier will build the project as part of an enterprise-wide collaborative working agreement signed with National Highways in October 2022. RSK and Structural Soils have carried out ground investigations for the scheme. Preparatory archaeological works and utilities diversions are currently taking place along the A66.
