THE Government has finally pledged to fix the A66 - but warned work to tackle its appalling safety record could take 20 years.

Transport Minister John Spellar said he was giving a commitment to fully upgrade to dual carriageway the road, dubbed the most dangerous in Britain.

Work costing £141m will take place on the notorious 50-mile stretch between Scotch Corner and Penrith with three separate improvement schemes, beginning from 2004.

But a spokesman for the Department of Transport admitted that the remaining stretches of single carriageway outside of the three improvement schemes already identified would have to be 'started from scratch'

He said: "We may be looking at as much as 15 to 20 years for the entire project.

"There are processes to go through which may involve buying land and getting relevant planning permissions."

Mr Spellar said he was endorsing a report by Government-appointed consultants Maunsell, who recommended full dualling last year.

Three schemes to extend the carriageway at Temple Sowerby, and between Greta Bridge and Stephen Bank, and Carkin Moor to Scotch Corner are already in the planning stages and could be completed within the next five years.

This would leave about a third of the route remaining single carriageway with progress on this depending on the 'solutions developed and the time taken to complete statutory procedures', said Mr Spellar.

He said: "I will be asking the Highways Agency to look at the sections of existing single carriageway in order to draw up a programme of works to bring the road up to dual carriageway standard.

"These plans will bring benefits, not just for the users of this route, but for local people and the economy."

North Yorkshire County Councillor Michael Heseltine, who for 30 years has campaigned for a dual carriageway, said work must be done as speedily as possible.

He said: "This is real progress at last after so many years hard work and campaigning. I would emphasise though that there must be some action as soon a possible.

"Every hour of delay increases the risk of another accident or more loss of life and I don't want to see anyone else killed or injured."

The A66 between Scotch Corner and Penrith has claimed 70 lives in more than a decade. Government research suggests that during the next 30 years without full dualling it could claim another 20 with 139 people being seriously injured.