Campaigners wanting the A64 upgraded to a dual-carriageway will find out next year if the scheme will be added to the government’s list of priority work.
But in an update to North Yorkshire Council, road bosses have warned that the latest assessment concluded that the multi-million pound project was “high cost but low value for money”.
Councillors will debate a motion next week urging the authority to write to the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire and MPs whose constituencies cover the road linking York and Scarborough to request confirmation of their support for the upgrade.
The motion, submitted by Conservative councillor for Norton, Keane Duncan, also asked the council to work on a cross-party basis with national and local political representatives to secure the dualling.
In a report on the motion for the transport, economy, environment and enterprise overview and scrutiny committee, officers included an update on the project from National Highways.
It noted that work had been done to find savings on the preferred plan for a new dual carriage to be built alongside the existing road between the Hopgrove Junction and Barton-le-Willows.
However, it added:
“While we found elements of the design that could be altered, the changes would have required additional changes elsewhere on the route and therefore we were unable to find reasonable savings, so the overall scheme costs remained high with low value for money.”
Highways England said these findings had been shared with the Department for Transport in 2023 and no further technical work had taken place on the scheme since.
It added that the final decision on schemes rested with the government, with the status of schemes classed as ‘pipeline’, including the A64 upgrade, due to be confirmed as part of the next Road Investment Strategy (2026-2031) to be published in March next year.
In response to the update, Cllr Duncan said National Highways deeming A64 dualling to be low value for money was not new.
He added:
“Funding formulas under successive governments have consistently prioritised the south, leaving rural and coastal areas like North Yorkshire overlooked and underinvested.
“While National Highways can make their assessment, the final decision is a political one. It’s the Government that must choose whether to back this long-overdue upgrade.”
The councillor said ministers needed to appreciate how critical the upgrade was.
“Not only will it to unlock North Yorkshire’s economic potential, but it will prevent further tragedies.
“With a decision expected as early as March, time is short. That’s why my council motion is so important. It’s a chance for every local representative to stand together and send a clear message to ministers.”
Members of the scrutiny committee will discuss what recommendations on the motion should be made to the next meeting of the full council in November.
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