Representation by Penrith and Eden Green Party (Penrith and Eden Green Party)
- Date submitted
- 4 September 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
A66 Northern Trans-Pennine Project – concerns registered by Penrith and Eden Green Party The proposed dualling of the A66 between Penrith and Scotch Corner is a major road building operation that will result in massive increases in carbon emissions and loss of biodiversity at a time when we are facing catastrophic climate and ecological breakdown. This project is entirely inconsistent with the well-recognised need to dramatically reduce carbon emissions, to safeguard existing biodiversity, and to reinstate lost and damaged natural habitats both for carbon sequestration and to restore ecological integrity. We consider this to be a retrograde proposal that runs entirely counter to the need to create the infrastructure necessary a) to reduce the UK public’s reliance on private motor vehicles and b) to transfer freight off roads and on to low carbon means of transport. Both these objectives are clearly necessary to achieve sustainable transport policy; to meet the UK’s legally mandated carbon budgets, reduce road congestion, improve air quality, increase public health and wellbeing, and to safeguard and restore biodiversity. In addition, it is apparent from the proponent’s own evaluation that this project does not provide value for money to meet even its own stated objectives. And we can see no evidence that alternative measures have been explored to address the road safety issues that this proposal is supposed to address. Therefore, we strongly oppose the proposed project and ask the Examiner to reject it outright. Specific issues that we wish to include in our representations include inter alia that this proposed project will result in: • increased traffic, especially of HGVs, and faster driving speeds that will cause significantly greater transport related emissions of carbon, • considerable carbon emissions resulting from the construction process, • loss of important wildlife habitats such as mature hedgerows and trees that support a wide range of wildlife species including bats, badgers and rare and threatened bird species, and • damage to the landscape and tranquillity of the North Pennines AONB. And additionally, that • National Highways’ own evaluation of the project shows it is very poor value for money, costing more than the projected benefit – at a time of financial crisis, and • The Department for Transport appears only to have considered dualling the whole stretch of road from Penrith to Scotch Corner and no alternative options have been presented to increase safety at accident hotspots through junction improvements, changes to routing for farm and local traffic, and lower speed limits.