Contracts signed on A66 dual carriageway plan

Four contractors have now put pen to paper to deliver the £1.3bn A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project, under a collaborative working agreement.

Balfour Beatty, Costain, Keltbray and Kier have signed up to work together on the scheme which will see the remaining single carriageway sections of the road dualled and key junctions between M6 Junction 40 (Penrith) and the A1 at Scotch Corner improved.

In July this year, the Planning Inspectorate accepted National Highways’ Development Consent Order (DCO) application, meaning the scheme could move onto the pre-examination stage.

In 2020, it was designated a “Project Speed pathfinder”, which meant the construction time for the project would be halved and the opening of the road brought forward by five years, to 2029.

Read more: A19 and A174: Four-vehicle crash that caused traffic chaos

The project is also one of over 100 rail and road schemes being targeted for acceleration by the Government as part of the recent Growth Plan.

Lee Hillyard, National Highways’ A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project director, said: “We are delighted to welcome Balfour Beatty, Costain, Keltbray and Kier and we look forward to working with them on the biggest generational investment on the north’s road network.

The whole of the A66 will be dual carriageway before 2030 Picture: Google (Image: Google)

“We have worked with all four contractors previously and know the quality of their work.

"The signing of the contracts is a huge step in the delivery of such a big scheme and it is an important milestone for the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project."

Dualling the remaining 18-mile single carriageway sections of the A66 will improve safety, reduce congestion and improve the reliability of journeys along the busy route.

It will also enhance regional and national connectivity, particularly for hauliers.

And making the route more reliable will lead to easier access to tourist hotspots such as the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales.

Phil Clifton, managing director of Balfour Beatty’s Highways business, said: “Today marks an important milestone in the delivery of the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project.

"This vital piece of infrastructure for the North will not only improve national connectivity, but will provide faster, and more reliable journeys for road users across the UK."

Consistent speeds on an upgraded road will also minimise noise levels for people living and working nearby, and National Highways aims to reduce the visual impact of the new A66.

Representatives from Balfour Beatty, Costain, Keltbray, Kier and National Highways sign the contract Picture: National Highways (Image: National Highways)

Should the proposals be approved as a result of the Planning Inspectorate’s process, and the Secretary of State’s decision given, work on the project is expected to start in 2024.

Richard French, Kier Highways regional director, said: “This is a significant occasion for all those involved with the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine scheme.

"Kier Highways, along with the enterprise delivery partners and client are committed to delivering sustainable infrastructure and this major investment will be vital for the economy.

"We look forward to utilising our combined expertise to deliver a project that harnesses innovation and minimises our impacts on the surrounding natural environment.

“We will aim to deliver this strategic highway improvement work to the highest standards with safety, environment and customers at the heart of everything we do.”

Read more: 

• Second person arrested after stabbing in North East town as victim still in hospital
• Pizza shop robbed by man who seemed to be hiding a gun under his clothes
• The hero Bishop Auckland schoolboy who saved his mum when she fell unconscious

If you want to read more great stories, why not subscribe to your Northern Echo for as little as £1.25 a week. Click here