Multiple improvements made to design ahead of transformative scheme

National Highways has taken on board feedback from the public and other stakeholders as well as suggested improvements from delivery partners Balfour Beatty, Costain, Keltbray and Kier - and will present these changes at a public consultation starting later this month.  

Members of the public are invited to participate in the consultation and attend the public information events to discuss the proposals.  

The A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project aims to dual the remaining single carriageway along a 50-mile stretch of the A66 at a cost of £1.3bn. 

The project is also part of the Department for Transport’s Project Speed initiative, halving the time to build the scheme from 10 years to five. 

In total, there are 32 changes to the original design prompting the need for consultation. The consultation will begin on Saturday 28 January 2023 and end on Monday 27 February 2023. 

The changes will deliver wider benefits, including to the environment and could reduce the amount of land required to deliver the project. 

Lee Hillyard, National Highways’ A66 Northern Trans-Pennine Project Director, said: 

“The communities and public from Penrith all the way to Scotch Corner have been hugely helpful in shaping our project and we have taken a large amount of feedback onboard. 

“We appreciate there have been previous consultations, but we are keen to make sure this project is as beneficial to as many people. I’d like to thank the public for their patience and would urge them to have their say on the latest developments.” 

Members of the public are invited to come along to public information events, which will be held along the route where representatives of National Highways will be present to discuss the proposed design changes.  

Location and dates of public information events

Gilling West Village Hall, High St, Gilling West, Richmond, DL10 5JJ  

Monday 30 January - 3pm - 7pm 

Kirkby Thore, Memorial Hall, Kirkby Thore, CA10 1UE 

Tuesday 31 January - 3pm - 7pm 

Warcop Village Hall, Appleby-in-Westmorland, CA16 6NX 

Wednesday 1 February - 3pm - 7pm 

Penrith Methodist Church, Wordsworth St, Penrith, CA11 7QY 

Monday 6 February - 3pm - 7pm 

A copy of our consultation brochure explaining the proposed changes will be available online or you can call us on 0333 090 1192 or email changeconsultationA66NTP@nationalhighways.co.uk to request a hard copy. 

Hard copies will also be made available in the following local deposit points: 

Penrith Library, St Andrew’s Churchyard, Penrith, CA11 7YA (Telephone 01768 812100) Monday, Tuesday 9.30am-6pm, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9.30am-5pm  

Saturday 9.30am-4pm. 

The Witham, 3 Horse Market, Barnard Castle, DL12 8LY (Telephone 01833 631107) Tuesday to Saturday 10am-4pm.