Highways Agency
Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers
Introduction
Introduction
The A66 Trunk Road provides a main trans-Pennine route linking the M6 atPenrith with the A1 at Scotch Corner. The existing route is a mixture of dualand single carriageway and the Government's strategy for the A66 is toupgrade the entire route to dual carriageway between Penrith and ScotchCorner.
This section of the A66 between Stephen Bank and Carkin Moor is situatedapproximately 6km west of the A1. It is one of the six single carriagewaysections that we are now consulting on. You are now being invited tocomment on whether you feel upgrading is appropriate and if so by whatmeans. Information on the other 5 schemes is available from the HighwaysAgency (see Further Information).
Existing Situation
The 6.5km section from Stephen Bank to Carkin Moor is currently at singlecarriageway standard. It is a relatively straight section with substantialundulation along its length. The section also has a number of propertieswith direct frontage onto the road.
This section of the A66 carries approximately 15,300 vehicles per day,27% of which are heavy goods vehicles. There have also been 34personal injury accidents on this stretch in the last five years.
Proposals Map
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Scheme Proposals
Two schemes to upgrade the adjacent sections of single carriageway(Greta Bridge to Stephen Bank and Carkin Moor to Scotch Corner) arealready in the Targeted Programme of Improvement and a Public Inquiryinto these proposals has already been held.
Three route options have been identified for consultation as indicated onthe map. The proposed standard for these routes is dual carriageway asdetailed on the typical cross section shown here.
The options consist of acommon section, involvingthe addition of a second carriageway to the south from Stephen Bank eastwards for approximately1.4km. The common section is then off-line for 1.9km passing to the south ofthe properties at Fox Hall. The route returns to the line of the existing A66 atMainsgill. To the east of this point three options are being considered. Thiscommon section is shown in Black on the map.
The Red option is for both carriageways to be constructed off line to thesouth of both the existing A66 and Carkin Moor Fort Scheduled AncientMonument (SAM).
The Brown option is on-line dual carriageway widening through the CarkinMoor Fort SAM.
The Green option splits the carriageways. The eastbound carriageway isthe existing A66 with a new westbound carriageway constructed to thesouth of Carkin Moor Fort SAM.
Environmental effects
Environmental Effects
The Agency attaches great importance to environmental issues. All sixproposed schemes will be designed with sensitive issues in mind, and with mitigation included where possible. For example, earth mounding or fencing will be used in conjunction with screen planting. Planting of native trees and shrubs will also be used to help integrate the road into the surroundinglandscape. Steps will be taken to safeguard water quality, ecology and culturalheritage. An Environmental Impacts Assessment has been carried out andthe results are summarised in the table below.
| Environmental Issue | Black/Red Route | Black/Brown Route | Black/Green Route | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Effect of the Proposal | Comment | General Effect of the Proposal | Comment | General Effect of the Proposal | Comment | |
| Air Quality |  Neutral | Small number of properties subject to greaterconcentrations of vehicle air pollutants, howeverit is still within the limits of the National AirQuality Standards. | Neutral | Small number of properties subject to greaterconcentrations of vehicle air pollutants, however itis still within the limits of the National Air QualityStandards. | Neutral | Small number of properties subject to greaterconcentrations of vehicle air pollutants, however it is stillwithin the limits of the National Air Quality Standards. |
| Cultural Heritage |  Positive | Improves the setting of the SAM Roman Fort andRavensworth Lodge (Grade II listed). |  Negative | Will require Scheduled Monument Consent, improvesthe setting of Ravensworth Lodge. | Negative | Negative impact on setting of SAM Roman Fort andwill require Scheduled Monument Consent. Howeverimproves the setting of Ravensworth Lodge. |
| Disruption Due to Construction | Negative | Every effort will be made to minimise disruptionduring construction. | Negative | Every effort will be made to minimise disruptionduring construction. | Negative | Every effort will be made to minimise disruption duringconstruction. |
| Ecology and Nature Conservation | Negative | Loss of recently planted woodland. Impact onterrestrial and aquatic habitats. | Negative | Least severance of habitats. Loss of recently plantedwoodland. Impact on terrestrial and aquatic habitats. | Negative | Loss of recently planted woodland. Impact on terrestrialand aquatic habitats. |
| Landscape Effects: Character | Negative | Significant impact on landscape character southof the SAM. | Negative | Least damaging of all route options on landscapecharacter. | Negative | Aligning the westbound carriageway to the south of theSAM site would impact on landscape character. |
| Landscape Effects: Visual Impact | Negative | Least impact and offers benefits to some visual receptors. | Negative | Negative impact to some visual receptors. | Negative | Offers some benefits to some visual receptors. |
| Land Use: Demolition | Neutral | Not affected. | Neutral | Not affected. | Neutral | Not affected. |
| Land Use: Community Land | Neutral | Not affected. | Neutral | Not affected. | Neutral | Not affected. |
| Land Use: Development Land | Neutral | Not affected. | Neutral | Not affected. | Neutral | Not affected. |
| Land Use: Agricultural Land | Negative | Slight loss of Grade 3 agricultural land.No severance. | Negative | Slight loss of Grade 3 agricultural land. Noseverance. | Negative | Will result in severance and isolation of agricultural landto the south of the SAM. |
| Traffic Noise and Vibration | Positive | Further away from existing properties. | Positive | Minimal changes in noise & vibration for properties. | Positive | Further away from existing properties. |
| Pedestrians, Cyclists etc. | Neutral | Potential for junction improvements. | Neutral | Potential for junction improvements. | Neutral | Potential for junction improvements. |
| Vehicle Travellers: Driver Views | Neutral | Views will not significantly alter. | Neutral | Views will not significantly alter. | Neutral | Views will not significantly alter from the current situation. |
| Vehicle Travellers: Driver Stress | Positive | The route will significantly reduce driver stressdue to safer overtaking and improved junctions. | Positive | The route will significantly reduce driver stress due tosafer overtaking and improved junctions. | Positive | The route will significantly reduce driver stress due tosafer overtaking and improved junctions. |
| Water Quality | Positive | Long-term benefit to water quality, improvedlocalised flood control. | Positive | Long-term benefit to water quality, Improved localisedflood control. | Positive | Long-term benefit to water quality, improved localisedflood control. |
| Geology and Soils | Negative | Potential for sediment loading of adjacent streamsduring construction. | Negative | Potential for sediment loading of adjacent streamsduring construction. | Negative | Potential for sediment loading of adjacent streams duringconstruction. |
| Policies and Plans | Neutral | Proposals in accordance with relevant policies& plans. | Neutral | Proposals in accordance with relevant policies &plans. | Neutral | Proposals in accordance with relevant policies & plans. |
Rejected route
Rejected Route
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Reasons for Rejecting the Blue Route
- Reuses less of existing carriageway
- Greater impact on woodland areas
- Disruption to SAM at Carkin Moor
- Higher landscape impact
What Happens Next
Your views, together with those of the local authorities and other bodies willbe carefully considered by the Secretary of State for Transport. A decisionwill then be announced on whether the proposals are to be taken forward.If they are, then a route would then be protected for planning purposes anddeveloped in greater detail.
By commenting now, you will not prejudice your right to comment for oragainst any future detailed proposals subsequently published under theHighways Act.
We look forward to seeing you at the exhibition.
Further Information
There are five other sections of the A66 at Public Consultation:
- Penrith to Temple Sowerby
- Temple Sowerby to Appleby
- Appleby to Brough
- Bowes Bypass Dualling
- Cross Lanes to Greta Bridge
Copies of all six public consultation leaflets are available on the HighwaysAgency web site. If you have any questions on this or any of the aboveschemes please ask at the exhibition or write to:
Highways Agency, Major Projects Team M1, Room 710,
Sunley Tower, Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester, M1 4BE.
For the attention of Marilyn Sinfield or telephone 08457 50 40 30
For further information on the Highways Agency call our information line:
08457 50 40 30