Highways Agency

Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

The Route Management Strategy

The A66/A174/A1053 Route

Download the Final Strategy Summary as a PDF (262KB PDF)

This Route Management Strategy (RMS) covers three major roads (A66, A174 and A1053), which form an important route connecting the towns of Darlington, Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough and Redcar to the national strategic road network.

The A66 and A174 sections of the route are linked by a 4km section of the A19. This section of the A19 was the subject of the A168/A19 (Dishforth to South Tyneside) Route Management Strategy, which was published in 2003.

The A66/A174/A1053 route comprises roads of differing standards and characteristics:

A66

Commencing at J57 of the A1(M), a 3km stretch of two lane motorway (A66(M)) runs east to Blackwell Junction roundabout. From Blackwell Junction a 10km stretch of single carriageway road, known as the Darlington Bypass, skirts around the south and east of Darlington to Great Burdon roundabout. Running east from Great Burdon to Preston Farm is 12km of rural dual carriageway, which bypasses the villages of Sadberge, Long Newton and Elton. A further 6km of urban dual carriageway carries traffic to the A66/A19 Stockton Road Interchange, near Teesside Park.

A174

From the A19/A174 Parkway Interchange a 12km dual carriageway runs in an easterly direction past Marton, Ormesby and Eston to the Greystones roundabout.

A1053

A short (2km) length of dual carriageway, located to the west of the Wilton chemical complex, runs from Greystones roundabout to the A1085 near Teesport.

Route Functions

Route Functions describe the role that the route currently fulfils. An important function of any route is its relationship with other parts of the national and local transport infrastructure and the regional land use development strategy.

The Highways Agency's view of the existing and future functions for the A66/A174/A1053 route includes the following general functions that a trunk road would be expected to perform:

• Providing safe transportation of people and goods
• Providing reliable journey times
• Informing travellers about conditions on the route
• Respecting the environment

Examples of specific Route Functions identified for the A66/A174/A1053 route include:

• Provide a primary route between local population centres within the Tees Valley sub region and the Northern region
• Provide access to Teesport
• Provide an east/west link between the A19 and A1 corridors (Strategic Diversion Route)
• Forms part of the Trans Pennine route linking the Tees Valley to the North West
• Provide access to Durham Tees Valley Airport
• Provide access to industrial, economic and regeneration areas
• Provide a bypass for Darlington, Stockton and Middlesbrough
• Provide facilities for passage of abnormal loads
• Act as an advisory hazardous chemical load route
• Provide a route for commuters in, out and through the area
• Provide leisure, tourism and cultural access to coastal regions, North York Moors National Park and Yorkshire Dales
• Provide local access to centres of retail and leisure
• Provide a route for public transport and form part of an integrated transport system

Policy Objectives

The RMS should aim to contribute to national, regional and local planning, economic and transport objectives, which are pertinent to the route.

The Government's five transport objectives are:

Economy

• To contribute to an efficient economy, and to support sustainable economic growth in appropriate locations.

Safety 

• To improve safety for all travellers.

 Environment

• To protect and enhance the built and natural environment.

Accessibility

• To promote accessibility to everyday facilities for all, especially those without a car.

Integration

• To promote the integration of all forms of transport and land use planning, leading to a better, more efficient transport system.

Route Issues and Problems

The most significant issues and problems identified during consultation with stakeholders and the public were:

Economy

• Congestion at Blands Corner roundabout, Morton Palms roundabout, Great Burdon roundabout, Stockton Road Interchange, Parkway Interchange, Marton junction and Greystones roundabout, particularly during peak hours
• No guarantee when you will arrive at your destination
• Future development in Stockton could be stifled due to congestion on the trunk road network

Safety

• Accidents on the A66 near Long Newton (Construction of a grade-separated junction at Long Newton is expected to commence during 2006/2007)
• Difficulty gaining safe access to the A19 at Stockton Road Interchange and the Parkway Interchange
• Slow moving agricultural vehicles on the A66 rural dual carriageway
• Parking and random pedestrian movements by football spectators around Darlington FC on match days
• Inadequate maintenance of road signs
• Flooding affecting the A66 at Long Newton and also the A174 during periods of heavy rainfall
• "Rat Running" through Coulby Newham to avoid congestion at Marton junction

Environment

• Traffic noise from A174 affecting residential areas

Accessibility

• At-grade footpath and bridleway crossings on the A66
• Perceived dangerous nature of pedestrian underpasses on the A174
• Community severance in Blackwell

Integration

• Inadequate public transport serving communities along the A66
• Poor pedestrian and public transport access to Teesside Park

Route Outcomes

Route Outcomes set out what the Highways Agency will seek to achieve over the ten-year period of the RMS.

The following Route Outcomes are expected to have a positive impact on the A66/A174/A1053 route:

• Congestion: To identify measures to reduce congestion and improve journey time reliability
• Accidents: To improve safety by reducing accidents
• Regeneration: To support sustainable regeneration
• Noise: To reduce disturbance at sites with high noise levels
• Vulnerable Users: To improve accessibility for vulnerable users
• Modal Shift: To encourage a shift from private to public transport
• Improved Driver Information: To improve delivery of information to drivers
• Environmental Impact: To reduce the environmental impact of the route on local communities

Developing a Route Management Strategy

Route Management Strategies are developed through a number of defined stages, as illustrated in the flow chart (left).

Development of the A66/A174/ A1053 RMS was initiated in November 2004 and the information here provides a short summary of the Final Route Management Strategy.

Full copies of the A66/A174/A1053 (Darlington to Teesport) Route Management Strategy document are available at the central libraries in Darlington, Stockton, Middlesbrough and Redcar. Alternatively, the full report can be downloaded from the publications section of this scheme web site.

Any queries concerning this RMS should be directed to:

Kyle Maylard
Highways Agency
PO Box 206,
City House,
New Station Street Leeds,
West Yorkshire,
LS1 4UR
Tel. 08459 55 65 75