A CONSERVATION group has said that improved safety on the upgraded A66 trans-Pennine route will outweigh environmental damage from the construction work.

John Gill, chairman of the Swaledale branch of the Council for the Protection of Rural England, said his organisation supported Government plans to fully dual the 50-mile route from Scotch Corner to Penrith.

Coun Gill, a member of Richmondshire District Council whose Stanwick ward adjoins the A66, spoke out after another "green" organisation - Transport 2000 - criticised the £141m proposals.

Transport 2000 said damage to sites of special scientific interest and the North Pennines area of outstanding natural beauty was unacceptable. It said smaller scale road improvements would tackle the road's notorious accident record.

Coun Gill said Transport 2000's comments had upset CPRE members and not all environmentalists were against the proposed upgrading.

"We realise that there will be some environmental damage but the necessary improvements to safety override that," he said. "Our view is that some of the many accidents we have seen will be prevented by dualling and we have been pushing for this for some time."

Coun Gill said the work, which could take up to 20 years to complete, would benefit all and would not go through virgin territory, as a major road already existed.

Work could start in 2004 and three smaller schemes to dual short stretches are in the planning stage and could be finished within five years. They are between Scotch Corner and Carkin Moor, Greta Bridge and Stephen Bank, and at Temple Sowerby.

Accidents on the A66 have claimed more than 70 lives in ten years and campaigners for dualling say the existing mix of single and dual carriageway has led to many of the accidents