{"id":76627,"date":"2020-05-26T08:29:03","date_gmt":"2020-05-26T07:29:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=76627"},"modified":"2020-05-26T08:29:03","modified_gmt":"2020-05-26T07:29:03","slug":"a66-route","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/planning-construction-news\/a66-route\/76627\/","title":{"rendered":"Preferred route revealed for \u00a31bn A66 upgrades"},"content":{"rendered":"

Highways England<\/a> has revealed the preferred route for the \u00a31bn upgrade to northern Trans-Pennine route, the A66<\/h2>\n

The announcement reveals the list of improvements Highways England wants to now take into construction for the A66.<\/p>\n

The A66 links the M6 at Penrith in Cumbria with the A1(M) at Scotch Corner in North Yorkshire.<\/p>\n

As well as benefiting local people the upgrade aims to support tourism and freight traffic, improving connections between ports in Scotland and Northern Ireland and those in England at Hull and Felixstowe.<\/p>\n

Highways England has chosen Amey Consulting<\/a> and Arup<\/a> to deliver the \u00a345m A66 design contract.<\/p>\n

Transport secretary Grant Shapps, said: \u201cAs we gradually reopen our society, we want to ensure communities across the North are able to benefit from smoother, safe, better connected journeys.<\/p>\n

\u201cUpgrading this vital national link will not only level up infrastructure<\/a> in the region but will deliver benefits up and down the country \u2013 supporting tourism and movement between our key ports.\u201d<\/p>\n

The proposals include five new bypasses, key junction improvements and an underpass at the congested Kemplay Bank roundabout near Penrith.<\/p>\n

Highways England\u2019s senior project manager Matt Townsend, commented: \u201cWe are delighted more than 92% of people backed the idea of completing the dualling of the A66.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince the consultation ended ten months ago, we have carefully considered all the public responses. We have revisited issues such as the environmental impact<\/a> of each option, how we can re-connect communities currently separated by the existing road and how to improve the route for pedestrians and cyclists.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe options we have revealed today [23 May] are the ones we want to take forward into construction, but they were also the most popular among people who responded in the consultation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe feel the proposals reflect ours and the government\u2019s vision of a Northern Trans-Pennine route fit for the rest of the century. They also reflect the aspirations of the majority of people, including a diverse range of interest groups, who engaged with us in many months of discussion or gave us their views during the consultation.\u201d<\/p>\n

As well as choosing the underpass instead of a fly-over at Kemplay Bank, Highways England is proposing the following options:<\/h3>\n