A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project update Winter 2020 Scan for more information Improving safety, journey times, reliability Foreword and resilience on the A66 between the junctions of the M6 and the A1(M) I am a proud Yorkshireman and, as a highways professional, I am passionate about harnessing good road design to create opportunities for all users of our network. For me, this project isn’t about pouring concrete, it’s about people and the positive difference that we can make to their lives and those of future generations. That’s why, central to the project, is the need to create a road that is safe, reliable and efficient for everyone – whether you are a cyclist, a driver, a passenger, pedestrian or live near the A66. I know that the A66 plays an essential role for journeys across the north of England. It provides the most direct connection between the eastern side of England and the central belt of Scotland. It connects cities like Leeds, Sheffield and Norwich to Glasgow and Edinburgh. Lorries and freight transport rely on the A66, providing access to industrial estates, farms and quarries along the route and across the country. It is important for ports such as Stranraer, Teesport, Hull and Felixstowe. Over 28,000 journeys are made using the A66 every day, a quarter of which are lorries. Working with the Government, stakeholders and communities, we plan to invest around £1billion in the A66, dualling the remaining sections of the route between M6 junction 40 at Penrith and the A1(M) at Scotch Corner. Our work will make journeys on the A66 more reliable, improving access to tourist destinations such as the Lake District, the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and North Yorkshire. We’ll also help provide better links to Cumbria, Tees Valley and Tyne and Wear, improving access to jobs and reducing congestion. Our work will unlock economic growth and reduce delays. In May this year, we announced the preferred route for the upgrade of the A66 and we are currently carrying out environmental and ground investigation surveys in the area to help with our design. We are committed to building on the positive relationships we have with communities that live along the route. We will be engaging and consulting with you as we develop our plans to unlock new educational, health, work and social horizons for people that live alongside the route or rely on it. By acting today to address the problems affecting the A66, we can be more confident of seizing opportunities tomorrow to benefit road users, taxpayers and the country as a whole. At Highways England we are committed to working with communities when developing our projects and we will be consulting with you further in 2021 before submitting our planning documents. As we engage with our customers and communities about the project in the coming months, we will make sure that all the relevant measures and guidelines for Covid-19 are followed to protect you and our team members. I hope you and your loved ones keep safe and well during these challenging times. Matt Townsend Highways England 2 3 Contents Introduction Introduction 5 Investing in your roads At Highways England, we believe in a connected Sections of the A66 have been upgraded from Why we need this project 6 country and our network makes these connections single carriageway to dual in several stages since happen. We strive to improve our major roads and the 1970s, with the most recent dual section, Our objectives in developing the A66 7 motorways – engineering the future to keep people the Temple Sowerby Bypass, opening in 2007. An update on progress 8 moving today and moving better tomorrow. We However, more than 18 miles of single carriageway want to make sure all our major roads are more remain, making the route accident-prone and How we will continue to keep you updated 10 dependable, durable and, most importantly, safe. unreliable. Design considerations for a safer A66 11 We are investing around £1billion to dual the In 2014, the Government announced that it remaining single carriageway sections of the A66, intended to examine the case for dualling one of The preferred route 12 making this one of the largest and most important the routes across the Pennines to improve east/ highways investments in the north of England. west connectivity in the north of England. M6 junction 40 to Kemplay Bank 14 This will significantly improve journeys, safety In 2017, it was announced that the A66 had Penrith to Temple Sowerby 16 and connectivity which is great news for the local, regional and national economy. presented the strongest case for an upgrade Temple Sowerby to Appleby – Kirkby Thore 18 and that plans for full dualling between the M6 Our planned improvements for the road and a junction 40 and the A1(M) at Scotch Corner Temple Sowerby to Appleby – Crackenthorpe 20 modern approach to design will also help protect would be developed for the next Road Investment the local environment. For example protecting Strategy (RIS). We were then commissioned by the Appleby to Brough 22 important historical areas such as the Roman fort Department for Transport (DfT) to investigate the at Carkin Moor, Brougham Castle and the areas of potential to improve this 50-mile corridor. Bowes Bypass 24 outstanding natural beauty that surround the A66. Our plans will ensure the entire route has two lanes Cross Lanes to Rokeby 26 The A66 upgrades are of national significance as in both directions and we are also investigating Stephen Bank to Carkin Moor 28 they are essential to the continued development of the need to improve the junctions at either end of the economies in the north of England. the road. Major junctions 30 What happens next? 32 Project timeline 33 Improve connectivity for residents Improve strategic regional and and neighbours living and working national connectivity, particularly in close proximity to the route for freight and tourism 4 5 Why we need this project The A66 is a key local, regional and national route It also plays an important role for tourism, providing for east/west journeys in the north of England access to the North Pennines Area of Outstanding providing vital connections for freight, tourism and Natural Beauty (AONB), the Yorkshire Dales and businesses across the UK. the Lake District National Park. The route carries high levels of freight, with 25% But the A66 isn’t up to modern standards. Drivers of the traffic being heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), face congestion, delays at key junctions and more than twice the national average for a road of substandard access to jobs and leisure locations. this nature. That is why we are investigating ways to improve journeys on the A66 by raising the whole route to While the A66 plays a crucial role in the life dual carriageway standard. of nearby communities, it is also essential for journeys across the UK. It offers the most direct Investment in the A66 is essential to the continued route between the central belt of Scotland and the development of the economy in the north of the eastern side of England and connects the north country. Dualling the road and making other east to the north west and Midlands. improvements along its length will support local and national economic growth and development. Our objectives in developing the A66 By introducing a consistent standard of dual performance of key junctions such as the A66/A6 carriageway with the same speed limit throughout, and the M6 junction 40. we aim to reduce the number of accidents. Having a dual carriageway enables us to close Use of the ‘old’ A66 as part of the local road lanes where required due to accidents or break network will deliver safer, more enjoyable downs and keep traffic moving. journeys for cyclists and pedestrians. By making the route more reliable we can improve The preferred route also re-connects communities connectivity between the key employment areas and links villages along the route. It improves of Cumbria, Tees Valley and Tyne and Wear and connections for local people living and working improve access to key tourist destinations such as nearby providing better access to services such the North Pennines, Lake District and North Yorkshire. as healthcare, jobs and education. Better road standards and consistent speeds Dualling of all the single carriageway sections will will minimise noise levels for people living and reduce congestion and improve the reliability of working near the route and the preferred route aims people’s journeys between the M6 at Penrith and to reduce the visual impact of the new A66. the A1(M) Scotch Corner and nationwide. Our preferred route has been chosen to minimise The dualling will improve strategic regional and negative impacts on the natural environment and national connectivity, particularly for hauliers. Heavy landscapes of the North Pennines and Lake District. goods vehicles account for a quarter of all traffic on It is also the best option for reducing the impact the road and any delays to journeys can have an on nearby homes and minimising the number extremely negative effect on business, including lost of properties which will need to be acquired working time and missed shipment slots. or demolished. The improvement works will also reduce delays and queues during busy periods and improve the 6 7 An update on progress Since we announced our preferred route in May Where possible, we are looking to reduce local Since May 2020, our team of designers have been As well as on-site surveying, the environmental 2020, we have been working hard to develop our access points and small junctions along the route looking at the road in relation to the sections of the team has been undertaking substantial desk-based plans which we will show you at our consultation in order to improve safety and reduce the need for A66 we are planning to dual.