With just a week to go until the Government’s long-awaited Spending Review, a Cumbrian MP has made a final plea for the £1.6 billion A66 dualling project.
Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron has made a final ask of Treasury ministers to approve plans to dual the A66 from Penrith to Scotch Corner.
Today, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced funding for a number of transport infrastructure projects in the North of England for devolving funding to mayors for intercity transport.
The A66 project was thrown into doubt last autumn after it was announced that it was being included in a spending review carried out by the Department for Transport.
Speaking in the House of Commons today during a ministerial statement on Regional Growth, Mr Farron said: “People in Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Durham are deeply concerned to see no mention at all in the Chancellor’s announcement of the A66 dualling project, which is vital to boosting the economy of the North and even more importantly, to saving lives.
“So will he allay Cumbria’s fears and commit now to the A66 upgrade?”
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said: “If I if I might say so Madam Deputy Speaker, I think the member’s slightly confused. The statement today is about devolving transport funding to mayors for intercity transport.
“He’s asking me questions on the broader spending of the Department for Transport, which will be announced in the Spending Review next Wednesday.”
