A NORTH Yorkshire MP is “very hopeful” that a campaign to dual a section of the A64 will be successful, and a decision could be made this month.

Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, said “we hope very much” that an announcement from the Department for Transport could be made by the end of January on whether or not the project will be included in the next Road Investment Strategy (RIS2).

The proposal is for the dualling of section from the Hopgrove Roundabout at York to Barton Hill where the first currently dualled section starts. This means that the eastern section of the A64 would have continuous dualling from York to Crambeck village. This is expected to cost around £300 million.

Mr Hollinrake added: “I think we have run a good and persistent campaign and am very appreciative of all the work of the A64 Growth Partnership, which includes local MPs, councils, businesses and public bodies such as the York/Scarborough health trust, so I am very hopeful we will be successful.”

Last month, Mr Hollinrake arranged for roads minister Baroness Vere to travel down the A64 to see first-hand the current issues and to meet with the A64 Growth Partnership. MPs, including Mr Hollinrake and York Outer MP Julian Sturdy, took part in the talks with the minister.

York Outer MP Julian Sturdy said: “Following on from the announcement in October that funding has been approved to dual the York outer ring road, it is now more important than ever to improve safety and ease congestion on the A64. Along with other North Yorkshire MPs, I was pleased to welcome the roads minister to see these issues for herself. I hope that together we can progress the bid to secure this much needed investment.”