Fury as plans to dual A66 given the go-ahead

THE Government has been accused of failing to prioritise Northumberland after plans to dual the A66 were given the green light.

- JAMES ROBINSON

It comes after the long-awaited project to dual the Al in the county were scrapped last autumn.

The Government say dualling the A66 across the Pennines will shave up to 12 minutes off journeys.

The £1.5bn project will connect Teesside to the Lake District, providing a dual carriageway link between the M6 and the Al.

The Northumberland Al scheme would have seen 13 miles of the road dualled between Morpeth and Ellingham.

It was given the go-ahead by the previous Government after numerous delays just prior to the General Election, but last year’s budget saw the plan scrapped with costs estimated to be over £500m.