A Cumbrian MP and a former Prime Minister have written a cross-party letter to the Prime Minister calling for the government to commit to the A66 dual carriageway project.

Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, and Rishi Sunak, MP for Richmond and Northallerton, have jointly written to Keir Starmer asking to meet with them to persuade him to back the Northern Trans-Pennine Project with the funding it needs.

The multi-million pound project, which would turn the 80 kilometre stretch of the A66 from Penrith to Scotch Corner into a full dual carriageway, has been put under review by the government along with other major infrastructure projects. 

Tim Farron said: “The A66 is a key arterial route connecting the North West of England with the North East.

“Therefore every time there is a collision on this road, the impact on our economy is hugely disruptive.

“However my biggest motivation for trying to secure this upgrade is safety. Tragically there were 12 fatalities on the stretch between Penrith and Scotch last year alone. This cannot go on.

“The new Government must urgently give this vital scheme the green light.”

Mr Farron raised the issues regarding the stretch of road during Prime Minister's Questions last month, urging Keir Starmer to commit to the project to 'save lives'.

There have been 198 collisions on the road between 2018 and 2023.

The two MPs say that the completion of the project would bring 'noticeable benefits to our region' which includes a boost to tourism and the wider economy, as well as a reduction in congestion.

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "12 people died on the road in 2023 and the route has 50 per cent more casualties than the average for a road of this type. The remaining single carriageway stretches are dangerous and need to be dualled.

"The road’s high accident rate doesn’t just costs lives and cause many casualties, it costs business millions.

"The congestion caused by accidents – 20 per cent of which lead to complete closures of the road for more than five hours – means this key link between the Yorkshire, the North-East and North-West and the UK major ports is often blocked with no realistic diversion alternatives."

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "Transport is an essential part of the Government’s mission to rebuild Britain and grow our economy, and we are committed to build infrastructure which will drive growth and opportunity across the North while delivering value for money for taxpayers."