Penrith’s A66 dual carriageway to be resurfaced
A project to resurface a half-a-mile stretch of the A66 dual carriageway around Penrith is due to begin on Friday 10 October.
The Highways Agency scheme will be carried out overnight at weekends and will require the closure of the eastbound side of the road between junction 40 of the M6 and the roundabout by Penrith Hospital.
More than 27,000 vehicles use the section of the A66 near Penrith every day, including nearly 4,000 HGVs. The resurfacing work needs to be carried out to provide smoother and safer journeys for motorists.
The eastbound carriageway will be closed overnight from 8pm on Friday 10, Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 October, reopening at 6am the following morning. The road will also be closed the following weekend on Saturday and Sunday night only, with the work due to be completed for the morning rush hour on Monday 20 October.
Peter Gee, Project Manager at the Highways Agency, said:
The section of the A66 dual carriageway around Penrith is heavily used by motorists and lorry drivers so we need to carry out this work to ensure the road remains in a good condition.
We’ll be closing the eastbound side of the road overnight at weekends as this is the quietest time of the week and should keep the impact on road users to a minimum.
When the work has been completed, people travelling along the road should experience much smoother, quieter and safer journeys.
A 50mph temporary speed limit may be needed during the day at the weekends when the work is taking place, and local traffic will be diverted through the town centre when the road is closed.
HGVs will need to follow a longer diversion via junction 43 of the M6, with advance warning signs in place on the motorway.
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000.
Media enquiries
Journalists should contact the Highways Agency press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.