"It's slow-moving tractors," said Cumnock lorry driver, Danny Dunlop.

"The problem is people get impatient and just take a gamble on an over-taking manoeuvre," said Doncaster trucker, John Golding.

"It's the sheer volume of lorries on the road," said Hull minibus driver, Paul Harrison.

"So many people who use the A66 are just hooligans behind the wheel," said local publican Diane Swainston.

But, whoever you spoke to yesterday - whether they travel the road regularly or avoid it like the plague - every single one would have agreed an upgraded A66 is long overdue.

The signs erected at either end of the road say it all: more than 140 people have been injured somewhere along the route from Scotch Corner to Penrith over the past five years.

Others have lost their lives.

But the only thing people seemed to find hard to believe it that it has taken so long for the authorities to act.

"I counted 16 speed cameras on the road to Aberdeen recently but I don't think there is one on the A66," said Ms Swainston, who owns the Fox Hall Inn, near East Layton, North Yorkshire.

She said: "I have been here five years and I think there was a death every month for the first 12, which was pretty depressing. I just don't think people are aware of how dangerous the road can be. We have had lorries in fields on either side of us more than once. It is just crazy."

Sonia Hall has run the A66 Motel near Newsham for 35 years and agrees it is not often that locals are caught out.

"Everyone who lives near it knows to be careful on the A66, especially if they're on their way to school and back with their children. However, people who have never driven on the road have to get used to bits that are single carriageway and then others that are dual carriageway with all types of junctions on both sides and it is easy to be confused.''

Glen Dinning works for Carlisle haulier Eddie Stobart and drives the road most days. He said accidents on the A66 caused him either delays or diversions on two days of every working week.

"Upgrading the road is bound to mean disruption and long queues but it'll be a good thing in the long run. It's a shame, but I will have probably retired by the time it is finished.''

Sue Wass, who has run The Bay Horse in Ravensworth, North Yorkshire, for the past five years said traffic coming off the A1 to the east contributed to the high accident rate. "Drivers come off a fast-moving road and then try to keep up those sorts of speeds."