MORE than 100 lives will be spared if two stretches of one of England's most notorious A-roads become dual carriageway, safety experts predicted last night.

Highways chiefs have put forward proposals to make two stretches of single carriageway, totalling seven miles, on the A66 between Scotch Corner and Greta Bridge, County Durham, into dual carriageways.

Although the plan to improve the road has been widely welcomed, there have been objections to some of the details, including compulsory purchase orders for some of the land needed - prompting a public inquiry into the scheme.

The inquiry, which began at the Morritt Arms Hotel, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, yesterday, heard how failure to press ahead now could lead to the whole plan being scrapped.

About 15 people have been killed and many more injured in the past 12 years on the two sections - 6km from Scotch Corner to Carkin Moor and 5km from Greta Bridge to Stephen Bank.

Paul Tucker, counsel for the Highways Agency, said the accident rate on the A66 between Scotch Corner and Greta Bridge was close to the national average, but the severity of crashes was much greater.

In terms of the proportion of persons killed or seriously hurt, it had the seventh worst record out 104 sections of class A trunk roads in the whole of England. But it was expected that the improvements would save between 119 and 133 deaths or serious injuries over the next 30 years.

"It is perhaps little wonder that the schemes have such widespread support," said Mr Tucker.

Asked why past accidents had been so severe, he said it was partly to do with the geography of the road and partly due to lorries being involved in many of them.

Inspector Robin Shercliffe said that more than 100 objections were lodged against details of the scheme. However, only one person was objecting to the whole scheme, while the others were against different parts of it, including the compulsory purchase of some land that will be needed.

Thirty other people had expressed support for it. There was also backing from police and local councils.

If the scheme goes ahead it will mark the culmination of The Northern Echo's "Fix The A66" campaign, which aims to cut deaths on the notorious route. The joint project, which will cost more than £11m, could start by spring 2005.

It would include safety work on all main junctions and the closing of minor junctions as well as the extra carriageways.

Several objectors were annoyed that a 4.5km stretch of single carriageway would be left between the new sections. They claimed the scheme should be delayed until this could be included.

But Stephen Sexton, the project manager, said that although the intention was to make this short stretch into dual carriageway eventually, it could take several more years to make all the arrangements. If they delayed the whole thing now it might be lost entirely.

Rachel Connolly, of the British Horse Society, said that special crossings for riders, with flashing lights and a corral in the central reservation, would not be safe enough.

The inquiry is expected to continue into next week.