A SERIOUS crash has occurred on the country's worst road, just days after another fatal accident.

A post office van and a Mercedes Benz car were involved in a crash just before 9am today on the A66 trans-Pennine route.

There have been more than 70 fatal accidents on the road over the last decade and numerous other crashes.

The latest accident happened at Cross Lanes junction near Barnard Castle on a dual carriageway section.

The van driver sustained multiple injuries and was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital but was not thought to be in a critical condition.

The Mercedes driver sustained less serious injuries and was also taken to hospital.

The crash came just three days after a lorry driver was killed on the A66 between Scotch Corner and Penrith.

Two lorries and a car were involved in the crash on a section of single carriageway near Temple Sowerby, Cumbria, which closed the road overnight.

That stretch of the A66 was branded the worst road in the country last month.

A safety study conducted by the Government has concluded that full dualling would be the safest option for the A66 and today a spokeswoman for the Government office North-East said there were plans to work on the road.

She said: "The safety study recommended that the best long-term solution was for a full upgrade of the A66.

"That recommendation has been subject of a consultation exercise which has just been completed and a submission will be made to ministers in the next two to three weeks."

It is not known when ministers will give the go-ahead for the upgrade.