Latest news with #A66
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
No update to A66 dualling plan in Spending Review
No new details were announced in the Spending Review about the future of the A66, which runs across northern to dual the road between Penrith in Cumbria and Scotch Corner in North Yorkshire were put on hold indefinitely by the government in 2024, citing a "black hole" in public Farron, Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, said he was "deeply disappointed and frustrated" over the lack of new to a question in the Commons from Farron, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the decision over the scheme would be made by the Department for Transport at a later date. She said: "We haven't set out every project that that's going to fund today and I'm sure the transport secretary will come to this House or the relevant select committee in due course." Follow the latest reaction to the Spending ReviewKey points: What has the chancellor announced? Farron said the road upgrade scheme was "critical for the north's economy, for east-west connectivity, and for saving lives"."I will keep up the pressure for ministers to approve this massively important project," he MP for Penrith and Solway Markus Campbell-Savours said it was "vital" the upgrade was approved."This isn't simply about quicker journeys, this is about safety and economic development," he the 2024 general election, the Conservative government was moving ahead with plans for sections between the A1(M) and Penrith, but Labour put the project on hold alongside a number of group Transport Action Network (TAN) previously claimed the scheme would cost £1.5bn and increase carbon emissions by 2.7m tonnes. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram
BBC News
31-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Penrith A66 traffic problems hitting businesses, says BID
Businesses are losing over £100,000 each Friday due to traffic congestion, according to a business Broad, chair of Penrith's Business Improvement District (BID), said queues on and around the A66 were putting people off coming into Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner David Allen also said gridlocked traffic was increasing emergency response times.A plan to turn the whole of the A66 between Penrith and Scotch Corner into dual carriageway is currently under review. Mr Broad said the BID estimated it cost each business in town £300-500 every Friday, when the traffic is at its worst, and that this amounted to over £100,000 in total."Penrith in effect on a Friday becomes a place to avoid," he said. According to Mr Broad, the problem is caused by large volumes of tourist traffic, along with freight, using the A66 at Kemplay Bank roundabout and junction 40 of the believes traffic flow measures should be used to stop Kemplay Bank becoming "like a car park".Cumbria's police and fire and rescue services both have their headquarters next to Kemplay Bank Mr Allen said, while his teams met their response targets, it took longer to get to incidents when the roads were said: "If you were leaving police headquarters in a non-emergency scenario, it can take 30 minutes just to get 300 yards to the roundabout." Some locals have suggested switching off the traffic lights at Kemplay Bank or using a yellow hatched box to improve traffic Highways, which manages the A66, said traffic lights improved congested roundabouts and a recent inspection of those at Kemplay Bank "detected no issues". Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
19-05-2025
- BBC News
Woman assaulted by HGV driver after A66 crash near Richmond
A woman was assaulted by a HGV driver after the van she was driving was involved in a crash with his lorry in North collision happened on the westbound A66, where the road narrows to a single carriageway near Gilling West, at about 11:30 BST on Friday.A man driving a Renault lorry with a red cab and the woman, who was driving a grey Mercedes Sprinter van, got into a "heated confrontation", according to North Yorkshire man then assaulted the woman, leaving her with minor injuries, officers said. The force asked anyone who witnessed the incident or stopped at the scene to help to contact police. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Renewed calls to bring back shelved road dualling
The government has been urged to restore plans to dual the A66 road which runs across northern England. Mike Starkie, the former Conservative Mayor of Copeland, in Cumbria, said the upgrade was needed to "support growth." The project was put on hold indefinitely by the government in 2024 citing a "black hole" in public finances, but many want the chancellor to commit to the project as soon as possible in the spending review in June. Labour North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith said "we know the money wasn't there in the first place" for major schemes promised by the previous government. The road is a key artery running east and west between Scotch Corner in North Yorkshire and Workington in Cumbria. Before the 2024 general election, the Conservative government was moving ahead with plans for sections between the A1(M) and Penrith, but Labour swiftly put the project on hold alongside a number of others. Explaining the decision, Skaith told BBC Politics North: "The government did inherit a terrible financial situation. "We have lots of conversations with local leaders and MPs in North Yorkshire about such projects. "We've invested heavily into our rural transport network and we're looking at active travel provision as well, and working with the rail operators to improve that connectivity as that's what I have power over." However, Starkie accused Labour of unfairly leaving road users behind. He said: "What we're seeing is a clear demonstration of this government's misguided priorities. "They can find £84bn to surrender the Chagos Islands, but then we've got infrastructure in our country that, to support growth, needs updating." "The projects that have actually got through the planning process - like the A66 - are getting shelved after already clearing the hurdles." BBC Politics North airs Sundays on BBC One at 10:00. Watch now on the BBC Iplayer. Follow BBC North East on X and Facebook and BBC Cumbria on X and Facebook and both on Nextdoor and Instagram. Plea to dual road after 'chilling' deaths A66 dualling finally gets government approval A66 dualling legal challenge fails Department for Transport
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Renewed calls from Cumbrian politician for A66 dualling
The government has been urged to restore plans to dual the A66 road which runs across northern Starkie, the former Conservative Mayor of Copeland, in Cumbria, said the upgrade was needed to "support growth." The project was put on hold indefinitely by the government in 2024 citing a "black hole" in public finances, but many want the chancellor to commit to the project as soon as possible in the spending review in June. Labour North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith said "we know the money wasn't there in the first place" for major schemes promised by the previous government. The road is a key artery running east and west between Scotch Corner in North Yorkshire and Workington in Cumbria. Before the 2024 general election, the Conservative government was moving ahead with plans for sections between the A1(M) and Penrith, but Labour swiftly put the project on hold alongside a number of others. Explaining the decision, Skaith told BBC Politics North: "The government did inherit a terrible financial situation."We have lots of conversations with local leaders and MPs in North Yorkshire about such projects."We've invested heavily into our rural transport network and we're looking at active travel provision as well, and working with the rail operators to improve that connectivity as that's what I have power over." However, Starkie accused Labour of unfairly leaving road users behind. He said: "What we're seeing is a clear demonstration of this government's misguided priorities."They can find £84bn to surrender the Chagos Islands, but then we've got infrastructure in our country that, to support growth, needs updating." "The projects that have actually got through the planning process - like the A66 - are getting shelved after already clearing the hurdles." BBC Politics North airs Sundays on BBC One at 10:00. Watch now on the BBC Iplayer. Follow BBC North East on X and Facebook and BBC Cumbria on X and Facebook and both on Nextdoor and Instagram.
