Tories pledge to end motorists' misery and dual A1

Apr 29 2010 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

THE A1 would be made a route of national importance if the Conservatives form the next Government.

In a move which will open the way for the route to be fully dualled, the Tories have promised to end the A1’s status as merely a road of regional importance.

Cash to dual the A1, estimated to be more than £400m, was effectively denied to the North East by a Government policy which made the route a regional priority to be paid for without help from national spending pots.

That move has always meant the region could not pay for dualling as it would use up the North East’s entire funding stream.

Last night Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Tory candidate for the Berwick seat, who has led a three-year campaign to see the road dualled, welcomed the decision.

She said the policy shift meant “we can finally compete on a level playing field” with other national projects.

The move means any future Tory Government would have to decide whether to use the same national and European funds available to major projects such as High Speed Rail to upgrade the route. Ms Trevelyan added: “This is a fantastic first step on our road dualling project.

“We have recognition not just of our safety concerns but of how important this route is to the economy of the North East.”

If the party finds funding for the dualling process, any cash would first follow years of deep cuts in transport spending. It would mean the culmination of decades of campaigning to bring improved routes up the East coast to Scotland.

Last month The Journal revealed the Prime Minister had sent a signed letter to A1 campaigners admitting there was little chance of dualling the road, claiming it was not on a regional wish list.