THE Government yesterday announced proposals to turn the full length of the A66 into dual carriageway.

The news has been described as "absolutely wonderful" by campaigners who have fought for 20-years for what they say is the completion of the road.

The route between Scotch Corner and Penrith has been dubbed the most dangerous in Britain - having claimed the lives of more than 70 people in the last decade.

The announcement by the Minister for Transport, John Spellar, gives the go-ahead for the Highways Agency to draw up plans to convert the full length into dual carriageway.

It follows the recommendations of a safety study carried out in 2000 by traffic consultants Maunsell Transport Planning.

Coun Michael Heseltine, chairman of the A66 Completion campaign, said; "This is absolutely wonderful news and a great step forward. The Government has accepted the judgement of the independent study - it would have been difficult for them not to have.

"It's real progress with a capital P. There are people from all sections of the community that will be really delighted. So many have said for years 'why do they just not get on with it.'"

Making the announcement, Mr Spellar said he was happy to endorse the findings of the safety study. He said: "These plans will bring benefits not just for users of this cross-Pennines route but also for local people and the local regional economies.

"I do recognise the potential impact of these proposals on the environment and I am confident from the work done to date, and the evidence before me, that this can be minimised with careful design and the provision of appropriate mitigation measures."

Coun Heseltine said he would now like to see work start as soon as possible on the road. "There now has to be as little delay as possible. Any moment lost is another chance for a fatal accident," he said.

However, a Government spokesman said a number of hurdles still needed to be overcome. He said once the Highways Agency had drawn up the plans, it would need to be go through detailed planning procedures, including public consultation and compulsory purchase orders where necessary.

The first stretches on which work is expected to start will be from Carkin Moor to Scotch Corner and from Greta Bridge to Stephen Bank.

Initial findings from the safety study recommended just localised safety improvements for these areas, including improved junctions and the realignment of dangerous bends. These have now become part of the full dual carriageway plans, with work set to start in October 2006.