Government warned of 'huge desire' from public to see A1 dualled

Top councillors have warned that there is a "huge desire" among Northumberland residents for the Government to press ahead with long-awaited plans to dual the A1.

After decades of promises that have not resulted in concrete action, the future of the project is once again uncertain, with the new Labour Government yet to commit to plans to create a dual carriageway between Morpeth and Ellingham.

The previous Conservative Government did give the green light to the proposals earlier this year, but this only came after five delays and after the Tories had called the General Election and with the party languishing behind in the polls.

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Speaking at Tuesday's meeting of Northumberland County Council's cabinet, Conservative leaders spoke of the need to dual the A1 and receive commitments from Government on other key infrastructure projects for the county. These included the Blyth Relief Road and plans to improve key roundabouts amid increasing traffic caused by new developments.

Council leader Glen Sanderson said: "There is a huge desire to get on with dualling the A1. I think it is fair to say that local people have been greatly disappointed with the lack of clear ambition by this Government to dual the A1 and dual it quickly.

"We also have the Blyth Relief Road. It is incredibly important that we get on and deliver this.

"We are working as if we are going to get the Government support for this really important project and we will continue to be committed to it. We need to make sure that the crucial funding for our infrastructure is there.

"We are meeting the new MPs shortly and we will be working together with them for the residents of Northumberland.

"It is essential we write to the Secretary of State about funding for roads, including the bigger, more strategic and important sites and keep pressure on Government to get National Highways to push those forward as a key and urgent scheme."

Deputy leader Coun Richard Wearmouth said improvements to roundabouts would be needed if the county was to meet its new housing targets. The Government has proposed increasing the county's housing target by 222% in a bid to end the country's housing crisis.

Coun Wearmouth added: "We will be making the case for dualling the A1 as well as improvements to the Seaton Burn and Moor Farm roundabouts, which will be crucial to delivering the housing. Without that, we will not be able to accommodate the housing."

The North East Combined Authority is also committed to the A1 project. Papers for the CA's cabinet on Tuesday stated an ambitious target of dualling the route between Morpeth and Ellingham by 2030 and all the way to Scotland by 2040. However, both projects require external Government funding, which is yet to be confirmed.

Responding to the comments made by the Conservatives, Northumberland Labour leader Coun Scott Dickinson said: "It's the pot calling the kettle black. The Conservatives promised the A1 would be dualled for more than 10 years.

"It took 14 years and they delivered nothing. We had Prime Ministers and Chancellors come at the last three elections and say they would dual the A1.

"People aren't fools, and neither are we. We need to be realistic about the current position and make the case again.

"The public finances are in such a state that we don't know what will be committed to delivering. I do hold hope, because growth is a key objective and the A1 is a key growth project.

"I along with the North East mayor (Kim McGuinness) have said we will lobby for the investment in infrastructure that we need."