ChronicleLive has united political, business, and community leaders to demand the dualling of the A1 in Northumberland. The campaign follows six deaths in three separate crashes within weeks, highlighting the road's dangers.
Decades of Inaction
Campaigners have sought improved safety on the A1 for over 30 years. Successive governments have failed to act despite expressing support for upgrades. The A1, the main route from London to Edinburgh, becomes a single carriageway through Northumberland, while the rest is dual carriageway or motorway. This switch causes driver frustration and is a major factor in accidents.
Official figures show 49 fatalities and nearly 300 serious injuries on the A1 in Northumberland over the last 20 years, almost all on single carriageway sections. In May and June 2023, six people died in three crashes. Three more died in two incidents in January.
Leaders Call for Urgent Action
Last month, Northumberland County Council leader Glen Sanderson and North East mayor Kim McGuinness signed a joint letter to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, urging a re-examination of dualling plans. The government shelved upgrades after the 2024 General Election, citing costs up to £500m and poor value for money.
Sanderson said: “This road is not fit for purpose. That mix between single and dual carriageway has a proven safety deficit. It’s difficult for people to drive on. That causes frustration and that causes accidents. I cannot sit here and see these horrendous fatalities, and all the suffering that causes to the families, and do nothing.”
McGuinness added: “We’re not going to shut up about this, and that’s critical. Everybody agrees this needs to happen. I live near that road and it’s a disaster. We want to grow that region and we want it to be a place that thrives. We’re creating jobs and creating transport infrastructure elsewhere in the region but we’re being held back by Government who will not take action on this. There are safety improvements scheduled to take place on the A1. It isn’t dualling but it’s work on the junctions. Any investment is welcome. But to open up our economy and give us the transport system we need, to improve the safety, we have to do this. It’s the only answer.”
Petition Launched
ChronicleLive has launched a petition to show regional support for dualling. The petition, at www.change.org/p/re-examine-the-case-for-dualling-the-a1-in-northumberland, states: “The A1 in Northumberland has an appalling safety record that has resulted in six tragic fatalities in just a few weeks. The mix of single and double-carriageway stretches is a major contributory factor to the high level of accidents. That has a terrible human toll and is also holding back the area’s economy as Northumberland looks to grow its tourism, renewable energy and digital sectors. We appeal to the Government to urgently re-examine the case for dualling the A1 in Northumberland. This has been a long-standing issue, but recent tragedies have made it more urgent than ever.”
