Delays expected for maintenance work on A66 near Penrith

Maintenance work on a five-mile section of the A66 near Penrith is due to start on Monday 24 September The Highways Agency scheme involves building a new retaining wall, replacing the safety barrier and improving drainage on the stretch of the road between Appleby-in-Westmorland and Warcop.

The A66 links the A1 at Scotch Corner with the M6 at Penrith and the section near Appleby is used by almost 13,000 vehicles every day. Engineers need to construct a new 280-metre-long retaining wall on the southern side on the road, near Sandford, to replace the existing wall and support a section of road which runs alongside farmland. They will use gabion baskets – wire boxes filled with rock – to build the wall.

Improvements will also be made to the drainage on a 150-metre section of the embankment on the southern side of the A66 near Appleby.The work on the road will take place between 9.30am and 3.30pm to minimise disruption to rush-hour traffic, and is due to be completed by mid-November. Some overnight work is also likely to be needed, which will be carried out between 8pm and 6am.

Temporary traffic lights and a 40 miles-per-hour speed limit will be in place when sections of the westbound side of the road are closed, to allow traffic to take it in turns to travel through the roadworks. Motorists will also be led through the roadworks in convoy overnight.

Peter Gee, the Highways Agency’s Service Delivery Manager, said: “This is an important piece of work which will help to make the section of the A66 near Penrith safe to use for years to come. The new retaining wall will ensure the stability of the road, and we’ll also be making improvements to the safety barriers and drainage.

“We’ve arranged for the work to be carried out outside of the peak periods in the mornings and evenings, but there is still likely to be some disruption for motorists. I’d therefore encourage people to allow extra time for their journeys while the project is taking place.”