Residents living near the A66 trans-Pennine route have welcomed the government’s commitments to dualling the road along its entire length.

The £1.5bn project will include the upgrade of two dangerous stretches in North Yorkshire and County Durham from Stephen Bank to Carkin Moor, and Cross Lanes to Rokeby.

The safety record of the full route from the A1(M) to Penrith has been highlighted as a reason for the importance of the project, with 12 people dying on the road in 2023 alone.

The single-carriageway sections west of Scotch Corner, which include several junctions to nearby villages, have become particularly notorious, with several fatal collisions and other serious crashes occurring in recent years.

Rishi Sunak with A66 Action Group members Ken Bell (orange top) and Nigel and Susannah Bateman, beside the A66.

placeholder image — Rishi Sunak with A66 Action Group members Ken Bell (orange top) and Nigel and Susannah Bateman, beside the A66.

Ravensworth resident Ken Bell helped form the A66 Action Group to push for safety improvements on the route in 2017.

The group has worked with Richmond and Northallerton MP Rishi Sunak and lobbied Highways England to push for the work.

It successfully campaigned to have the speed limit lowered on a two-mile section which includes junctions to Ravensworth and East and West Layton, as well as the entrance to the popular Mainsgill Farmshop.

Further safety work was due to take place at junctions in the area but was put on hold due to the dualling plans.

Reacting to this week’s announcement from the government, Mr Bell said: “It’s great news not just for the residents of Ravensworth but also those neighbouring villages such as East and West Layton who will be just as pleased. There will be people walking around with a smile on their faces today.”

The upgrade scheme was subject to a legal challenge by the Transport Action Network, which campaigns against more road building, but this was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in January.

The decision by the incoming Labour government to undertake a review of all major spending commitments also cast doubt on the future of the project.

Mr Bell said he had feared the upgrade may never happen.

He said: “I was optimistic, then I was pessimistic, but the local North Yorkshire councillor, Angus Thompson, rang me on Monday ahead of the embargo to say it was going ahead. I can’t believe it’s actually going to happen.”

Councillor Andrew Ayres, chair of Ravensworth Parish Council, has also welcomed the announcement.

He said: “I’m absolutely delighted, but also incredibly surprised given the financial situation the government finds itself in. I thought the upgrade would be one of the first things to go. The fact it’s going to happen is great.

“The number of people in the village who don’t even venture towards the A66 because of its terrible safety record is remarkable.”

Years of planning and consultation exercises have already gone into the project, with construction work now set to start this winter.