Marion Dickson, executive director for nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, has backed a campaign by the Journal and Chronicle to improve safety on the A1 in Northumberland. The campaign calls on the Government to reconsider scrapping plans to dual the road, following a spate of recent accidents that killed six people in less than a month.
Why the A1 needs dualling
Dickson, who lives in Berwick and uses the A1 daily, said: “The amount of traffic is constantly increasing. This section of the A1 will also be used often by our patients and other colleagues from our organisation. The recent spate of accidents is a real worry and concern. Anything that can be done to keep people safer would be very welcome.”
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 stretches. The campaign has cross-party political support, along with backing from business and community leaders, who argue that the growth of tourism and renewables industries adds weight to the calls for dualling.
Government inaction and campaign goals
Ministers deemed the dualling scheme, first proposed by the previous Conservative Government but not started in 14 years, as not good value for taxpayers’ money. However, the recent fatalities have renewed urgency. A petition has been launched at www.change.org/p/re-examine-the-case-for-dualling-the-a1-in-northumberland to demonstrate regional support.
Dickson added: “North Northumberland is such a beautiful part of our region. We should be very proud of that and do what we can to encourage people to come and visit, work and stay. Infrastructure is a key element of this.”
