Calls for A66 link to be doubled up
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• Road safety campaigners are to ask PM Tony Blair to order a killer stretch of the A66 in North Yorkshire to be converted to a dual-carriageway.
The 80km A66 link between the M6 in Cumbria and the Al at Scotch Corner is a mix of dual and single-carriageways. It is heavily used by hauliers.
Between 1990 and 1995, 14 people died in accidents on the single-carriageway sections, says John Brown, head of Environmental Services Consultancy at North Yorkshire County Council. He says the problems are caused by vehicles making the transition from dual to single carriageways, "It is a very strategic route for road freight: 32% of vehicles on the road are heavy commercial vehicles—four times the national average," he adds.
The latest accident happened last week, when two trucks were involved in a collision with a car, resulting in serious injuries to the car driver.
On 5 November the county council and other road safety campaigners will present an appeal to MPs at a parliamentary briefing.
"We have invited MPs from the west of Scotland and Northern Ireland whose constituents send haulage down the road to get to the eastern ports," says Brown. "We have also invited William Hague and Tony Blair."
Opposition leader Hague has already promised to attend the briefing. Brown wants the A66 to become part of the TransEuropean Network and says EC Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock has expressed his likely support for its inclusion if the UK Government agrees.