a66 road improvement

[dcb]

The Times newspaper Saturday says that the A66 is
to be improved to dual carraigeway from
Scotch Corner to Penrith at a cost of 141 million quid.

The improvement will take at least five years.

Most of the article is flannel, but they do mention
that between 1995 and 1999, there were 292 crashes
that resulted in over 100 deaths & serious injuries.

Since each death costs us, the taxpayer, about 1.1
million quid, I make it that the new road only has to save
(141 / 1.1) ie 128 deaths, and it's paid for itself.

To say nothing of the serious injuries it would save,
and the thousands of hours of time for folks in the
area.

This is the best news I've heard from the Government all year.

[elanturbo]

This road is bloody awful. Mostly single lane and with a high volume of traffic. Folk get hacked off doing 40 behind a lorry and pull out into oncoming traffic. Get it fixed.

[MikeyT]

Have to agree with elanturbo. We went up there a couple of weeks ago on our way to Oasis at Penrith and it was 5hite from the moment we left the A1. Mind you, it was quite fun when we got higher up and the traffic thinned out.

Lovely part of the world.