A66 upgrade: Rishi Sunak urges government to give green light to upgrade of major Yorkshire A-road

The MP urged ministers to authorise the £14bn project during a visit this week to Bulk Logistics Group, a haulier based at Patrick Brompton, near Bedale.

Work on the upgrade was due to start this year after being approved by the previous government led by Mr Sunak.

But the dualling project of remaining single-carriageway sections between Scotch Corner and Penrith was halted by the new government as part of a review of major infrastructure projects.

Mr Sunak said that delaying or abandoning the project would cost lives and hold back the region’s economy.

“Not going ahead or delaying the upgrade will cost businesses like Bulk Logistics and, even more importantly, the lives of many more motorists who use this road,” he said.

He added: “The A66’s safety record is poor – 12 people died using it in 2023 and the route has 50 per cent more casualties than the average for a road of this type.

“The road’s high accident rate also leads to delays and congestion which costs regional businesses like Bulk Logistics. A large proportion of those accidents lead to complete closures of more than five hours, blocking this key link between the Yorkshire, the North-East and North-West and the UK’s major northern ports.

“Strong economic growth is essential for our country’s future and a properly upgraded A66 is vital to help businesses across the our region, and the UK as a whole, drive that growth.”

Michael Ward, managing director of the Bulk Logistics Group, which operates a fleet of 95 vehicles providing logistics services from centres located in Middlesbrough, Penrith, Leeds, Newcastle, and Bedale, said the current layout of the A66 was creating growing challenges for the business.

“As traffic volumes increase, congestion has become a regular issue,” he said

“Once limited to public holidays and the summer months, delays are now a constant concern that impacts the day-to-day running of our operations.”

Richard Smith, managing director of the Road Haulage Association, who also attended the visit, added: “The A66 is a key local, regional and national route for east/west journeys in the north of England providing vital connections for freight, tourism and businesses across the UK.

“The route carries high levels of freight, with 25 per cent of the traffic being heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) compared to the national average figure of 12 per cent. The A66 is also an important route for tourism, providing access to the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District National Park.”

The call to upgrade the A66 comes weeks after three North Yorkshire MPs, Kevin Hollinrake, Sir Alec Shelbrooke and Tom Gordon, wrote to the Minister for Roads calling for improvements to the A64.

The MPs said widening the route from the Hopgrove Roundabout to Barton-Le-Willows, between York and Scarborough, would deliver “transformational benefits” to the county.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Transport is an essential part of the Government’s mission to rebuild Britain and grow our economy, key to our Plan for Change, and we are committed to building infrastructure which will drive growth and opportunity across the North while delivering value for money for taxpayers.”