The A66 upgrade could once again be pushed into uncertainty after the Government today confirmed a major shift in national spending and priorities with billions being moved into defence and warnings that transport and energy projects will face tighter funding, delays, and in some cases cancellation.
The Prime Minister said:
“Some capital projects – for example on roads and energy, which are important, but not immediately vital will no longer go ahead as planned.”
He added that the extra defence spending would be funded by:
“reallocating spending from across government departments – reallocating capital budgets by one penny in every pound.”
While no specific road or energy schemes were named in the announcement, the Department for Transport is expected to come under increased pressure as part of the changes, with up to £700m in savings reportedly targeted from roads funding. Officials are also set to review parts of the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3), including potential cancellations of schemes.
The Department for Transport has also indicated it will look at limited reductions in uncommitted roads funding, although it says investment in local road repairs, rail infrastructure, Northern Powerhouse Rail, and bus services will be protected.
Against that backdrop of today’s announcement in Westminster, attention locally is inevitably turning to the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine upgrade.
The £1.5bn scheme, which will if completed dual the remaining single carriageway sections between Penrith and Scotch Corner, has already been through years of delays, legal challenges and planning processes. It has full development consent in place and has repeatedly been described as one of the North’s key strategic road projects.
Pre-construction work and preparation are already underway along sections of the route, with the project still officially part of the Government’s long-term roads programme.
However, with transport budgets now under pressure and some schemes being reviewed or potentially scaled back, questions are once again being asked locally about whether the A66 could face further delays.
Following today’s announcement of the UK Government’s spending priorities shifting towards defence, the question locally remains the same one that has hung over the project for years: does the A66 still move forward as planned?
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