HIGHWAYS chiefs have snubbed suggestions that the Wensleydale Railway could help trains take some strain out of a multi-million project to upgrade a stretch of trunk road in North Yorkshire.

The Wensleydale Railway had expressed a cautious interest in bidding for freight carriage works on plans to upgrade to motorway standard a 24-mile (40km) stretch of the A1, between Dishforth and Barton.

But the Highways Agency, which is delivering the scheme, which could cost more than £750m, said yesterday that “technical and logistical reasons”

were likely to prohibit the railway from playing a part.

Work on the southern section of the scheme, which runs from Dishforth to Leeming, will start in the spring, with the remainder expected to follow in 2011.

When completed, the scheme, approved by Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly in March, will complete the last “missing link” in the motorway network between Tyneside and the M25.

The improvements will require millions of tonnes of materials – aggregates, tarmac etc.

It was thought that freight trains would take only a fraction of the estimated tens of thousands of heavy goods vehicle journeys it could take to deliver the materials to their various locations.

The Wensleydale Railway, which is based at Leeming Bar, is close to the half-way point of where the road works will be taking place.

A Highways Agency spokeswoman said: “Arrangements for contractors and suppliers for the A1 improvement have been confirmed, to ensure that they are in place for work starting in spring next year.

“The Highways Agency and its contractors did consider proposals from the Wensleydale Railway to use the rail line when work starts at the site.

“However, it was not found to be feasible for various technical and logistical reasons.”

Ruth Annison, chairwoman of the Wensleydale Railway, said it had not given up hope of being involved in the project.

She said: “This has been on our agenda since the A1 upgrade was first mentioned, in the early Nineties.

“As far as we are concerned, rail is an environmentally-sustainable way of moving large amounts of freight.

“I am quite surprised at the Highways Agency’s comments, but it is not at the stage of all hope being lost.”

Planners are still working on proposals for local access roads on the second phase of the scheme, between Leeming and Catterick, and Scotch Corner and Barton.

The decision to deliver the scheme in two phases has led to costs for the project being recalculated A Highways Agency spokeswoman said: “The Dishforth to Leeming section is likely to cost between £256m and £365m, while the Leeming to Barton section is likely to cost between £274m and £387m.”

For more information, visit highways.gov.uk.