Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, wants more priority and focus given to improving the A64.
I fully expect to see the first stage of the A64 carriage (between Hopgrove and Barton Hill) to be dualled by 2023. This follows the Highways England announcement that a dual carriageway will be needed to alleviate traffic problems beyond the Hopgrove roundabout and that previously planned improvements focused solely on the roundabout would not solve the problem.
I have been campaigning heavily for this change and working with MPs Robert Goodwill and Julian Sturdy, the A64 Growth Partnership, which includes businesses along the route together with the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership, local authorities, councillors and the York and North Yorkshire Chamber. I also met with the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, and other transport ministers to make the case for more funding and for the appropriate solution on a number of occasions.
On November 1st, I met with the Exchequer Secretary, Andrew Jones MP, regarding the extra monies we need for the A64 – that’s an extra £115m - £250m in total to fund the dual carriageway from York to Barton Hill.
Highways England has accepted within its feasibility study that all the options under consideration will include a dual carriageway from York to Barton Hill. It will now conduct a more detailed examination into environmental issues, traffic data, side roads and cost before making a recommendation following a consultation period in 2018.
I believe that this section will be delivered by 2023 but also that we need a sequential approach to include a further section of dual carriageway, from Crambeck to Malton, and then specific improvements east of Malton such as the Rillington by-pass.