MILLIONS of pounds are to be spent improving major roads around the region.

The Government has announced that nearly £13m will be spent in the North-East in an attempt to cut congestion and improve junctions.

Yesterday, Secretary of State for Transport Alistair Darling announced the schemes as part of 92 new projects across the UK costing £145m.

The improvements will include work on a stretch of the A66 at Longnewton, Teesside, which is a notorious accident blackspot.

The stretch, dubbed "death mile", has seen numerous accidents, some of them fatal. Campaigners have called for years for changes to be made.

The improvements will include a two-level junction being built and two existing junctions being closed. Ten central reservation gaps and 20 private access points along the road will also be closed.

It is hoped that the £6.2m scheme will improve access to Teesside International Airport, as well as improving safety along the whole section of the A66.

Improvements will also be made to the A1 at Stannington, in Northumberland, where work is expected to start next spring. It is due be completed by the end of 2004.

The £5.6m scheme will see the construction of a motorway-style junction and the closure of a number of central reservation gaps.

Turning traffic will use a new underpass and roundabouts under the existing carriageway.

Another scheme, at the A1(M) and A184 White Mare Pool interchange, north of Sunderland, will see £400,000 invested.

At the A1 and A177 Bowburn interchange, County Durham, £270,000 will be spent on traffic lights in a bid to reduce congestion.

Mr Darling said yesterday: "The Government is committed to tackling congestion and reducing the number of accidents on our roads.

He said the package would address some serious bottlenecks on the motorway and trunk road network which caused major delays.

He added: "Improving these junctions will cut queues and improve traffic flow, leading to more reliable journey times and less pollution."

* Yesterday's announcement follows the Government's pledge to ensure that the dangerous A66 stretch from Scotch Corner to Penrith is made into dual carriageway following a campaign by The Northern Echo