A66 dualling project to start next month but take nine years

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 30 Oct, 05:58 · Archive

Construction on the A66 dualling scheme between Penrith and Scotch Corner will begin in November 2026 and take nine years to complete.

The Government has confirmed that main construction work on the A66 dualling scheme will begin in November 2026 and will take nine years to complete, as revealed in Budget documents published on Wednesday. The project will create a continuous 50-mile dual carriageway between the M6 at Penrith and the A1(M) at Scotch Corner, improving connections between Cumbria and the North East.

The nine-year timetable represents a significant revision to the project schedule, potentially delaying completion to the mid-2030s—up to four years longer than previously anticipated. The overall A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project will upgrade around 30 kilometres of single-carriageway sections spread across six separate areas of the existing route.

The scheme was granted development consent in March 2024. Preparatory work has already begun around Penrith, including between M6 junction 40 and Temple Sowerby, where narrow lanes and traffic restrictions have been introduced to facilitate the upgrade.

Rishi Sunak, the former prime minister and current MP for the region, described the nine-year timetable as 'disappointing news'. The Government stated in the Budget that the project will be delivered 'through a revised nine-year programme, with phased construction commencing in November 2026'.

How it is being reported

• A66 dualling to begin next month but revised timetable stretches work to nine yearsA66 dualling between Penrith and Scotch Corner starts in November 2026, with the nine-year scheme creating a 50-mile road link between the M6 and A1(M).NW Evening Mail · 30 Oct, 05:00
• A66 dualling to begin next month but revised timetable stretches work to nine yearsA66 dualling between Penrith and Scotch Corner starts in November 2026, with the nine-year scheme creating a 50-mile road link between the M6 and A1(M).Westmorland Gazette · 30 Oct, 05:00
• A66 dualling to begin next month but revised timetable stretches work to nine yearsA66 dualling between Penrith and Scotch Corner starts in November 2026, with the nine-year scheme creating a 50-mile road link between the M6 and A1(M).Cumberland News · 30 Oct, 05:00

In this story: A66 · Penrith · Scotch Corner · M6 · A1(M) · Cumbria · North East · Rishi Sunak

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