Highways Agency

• Introduction
• Environmental effects

A66 Temple Sowerby to Appleby

Environmental Effects

The Agency attaches great importance to environmental issues. All six proposed schemes will be designed as sensitively as possible. For example, planting of native trees and shrubs would be used to help integrate the road into the surrounding landscape. Steps will also be taken to safeguard water quality, ecology and cultural heritage.

A full Environmental Impact Assessment has been carried out and the results are summarised on the following table.

Environmental Issue	Option Causing The Least Environmental Impact				General effect of ticked option	Comment
	Option 2A	Option 2F	Option 2K	Notes regarding differences in impacts between the routes
Air Quality				Closely followed by Option 2K.	Positive	Air quality will improve for local communities.
Cultural Heritage				N/A	Negative	Further archaeological survey work will be carried out.
Disruption Due To Construction				2A and 2F impact A66, 2K the County road network.	Negative	Every effort will be made to minimise disruption during construction.
Ecology and Nature Conservation				2A is significantly worse.	Negative	The routes are through mainly agricultural grassland of low conservation value. Each route had impacts on a number of protected species.
Landscape Effects: Character				2K is least favoured. 2A & 2F similar.	Negative	Effects will be mitigated by landscaping and planting.
Landscape Effects: Visual Impact				2F and 2K similar.	Negative	Effects will be mitigated by landscaping and planting.
Land Use: Demolition			Demolition of farm buildings on 2A & 2F.	Demolition of farm buildings on 2A & 2F.	Negative	N/A
Land Use: Community Land				No community land affected.	Neutral	Not affected.
Land Use: Development Land				Closely followed by 2F. 2K has significantly more adverse impacts.	Negative	Impacts both positive and negative generally cancel each other out.
Land Use: Agricultural Land				2K significantly more adverse.	Negative	Agricultural land is the only land directly affected by the proposals.
Traffic Noise and Vibration				Little difference between options.	Positive	Noise levels affecting property generated by traffic generally decrease for all proposals.
Pedestrians, Cyclists etc.				Little difference between options.	Positive	Opportunity to provide a safer longitudinal route along the original A66 for non motorised use.
Vehicle Travellers: Driver View				2K is favoured.	Negative	Landscaping and planting will restrict views.
Vehicle Travellers: Driver Stress				N/A	Positive	Improved alignment and signing, fewer junctions improving safety.
Water Quality and Drainage				Differences are relatively small.	Negative	New structure required across Trout Beck.
Geology and Soils				2A and 2F equally favoured.	Neutral	Mine workings to the north of Kirkby Thore.
Policies and Plans				No option is favoured.	Neutral	Proposals generally in accordance with relevant policies and plans.

Reasons for Rejecting Route 2I

• Major impact on the Roman Camp Scheduled Ancient Monument
• Affects a number of properties currently alongside existing A66
• Conflict with the existing landslip at Crackenthorpe
• Vehicles leaving Crackenthorpe heading west, would have to access the A66 via a link to the new junction at C3063

What Happens Next

Your views, together with those of the Local Authorities and other bodies will be carefully considered by the Secretary of State for Transport. A decision will 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 and developed in greater detail.

By commenting now, you will not prejudice your right to comment for or against any future detailed proposals subsequently published under the Highways 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
• Bowes Bypass
• Cross Lanes to Greta Bridge
• Stephen Bank to Carkin Moor

Copies of all six public consultation leaflets are available on the Highways Agency website. If you have any questions on this or any of the above schemes 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