Benefits
By dualling the remaining sections of single carriageway, we will improve safety, help make journeys more reliable and support the regional and local economy.
Re-connect
The project re-connects communities and links villages along the route. It improves connections for local people living and working nearby providing better access to services such as healthcare, jobs and education.
Dualling the remaining 18 mile single carriageway sections will improve safety, reduce congestion and improve the reliability of people’s journeys between the M6 at Penrith and the A1(M) Scotch Corner and nationwide.
It will improve strategic regional and national connectivity, particularly for hauliers. Heavy goods vehicles account for a quarter of all traffic on the road and any delays to journeys can have an extremely negative effect on business, including lost working time and missed shipment slots.
The improvement work will also reduce delays and queues during busy periods and improve the performance of key junctions such as the A66/A6 and the M6 junction 40.
We’ll be improving connections between Cumbria, North Yorkshire as well as Tees Valley, Tyne and Wear and beyond.
Economy & environment
Thousands of holidaymakers use the A66 to get to these destinations and hundreds of businesses rely on tourism. By making the route more reliable, we can not only improve access to hotspots such as the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales, we will support the regional and local economy.
An improved road and consistent speeds will minimise noise levels for people living and working near the route and we aim to reduce the visual impact of the new A66.
We'll reduce our impacts on the natural environment and landscapes of the North Pennines and Lake District. We also want to reduce the impact on nearby homes and minimise the number of properties which may be needed should the project be approved.
Community life
But it’s not just about improvements to the road.
Should planning application be approved, we will be part of community life for the next few years so we want to make sure we are putting something back. We will be using local resources and employment during any construction work which will help support the economy.
We want to work with local and regional schools, colleges, academies, universities and community groups, encouraging the engineers of the future to consider a career in construction and provide training opportunities.
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