Lincolnshire road branded 'critical safety hazard' with crash every other day

Lincolnshire's stretch of the A1 has been branded a 'critical safety hazard' by the county's highways boss after data revealed the number of accidents that have occurred. Three people have been killed and 58 injured in crashes there over the last year, according to a Freedom of Information request by LincsOnline.

There were a total of 232 crashes in that time - more than one every other day. National Highways says it's currently looking at ways to make the route safer. But Councillor Richard Davies (Con), the executive councillor for Highways and Transport on Lincolnshire County Council, says it's "almost a crime" that improvements haven't been made. "The A1 is not merely a “risky” route - it’s a critical safety hazard for Lincolnshire residents, commuters, and commercial drivers alike," he wrote on his website.

"As it stands, the road’s design fails to meet the demands of modern traffic, with outdated junctions, dangerous right-turn crossings, and poorly designed slip roads. National Highways’ inaction to address these issues is almost a crime.

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"Every incident here represents lives disrupted, potential trauma, and economic loss for our county." He said closing the risky crossing points would cut off communities, and the A1 must provide both access and safety.

"What we need are thoughtful, well-engineered solutions—such as building safer overpasses or underpasses at critical junctions or redesigning crossings to limit high-speed conflicts—so that people can move safely across and along the A1 without being forced into lengthy detours or isolated from surrounding areas," he said.

Ian Doust, National Highways' Programme Development Manager, said: “We always take safety very seriously and we are currently undertaking studies across the A1 route and exploring improvement opportunities. But it is important that we capture the context and patterns of incidents along the length of the A1 so we can fully understand the causation factors and take meaningful and informed action rather than commit taxpayers’ money to plans that will not provide effective solutions.

“The study is still in its early phases, so we are unable to give any specifics at this time.” National Highways will also be taking a look at improvements on the A1 Stamford and A1/A52 Barrowby junctions. Maintenance work will be carried out on the A1 south of Grantham in January in the hopes of making drivers' journeys smoother and safer.