Brown backs off A1 dualling vow

Jul 4 2008 by William Green, The Journal

GORDON Brown yesterday said he wanted the “most modern” transport network but failed to support key regional upgrades before his first North East visit as Prime Minister.

He is today set to celebrate the 60th birthday of the NHS with staff in Sunderland and Newcastle – and gave an interview to The Journal ahead of the visit.

The Prime Minister signalled he wanted transport improvements but failed to give explicit support to upgrading the A1 or building new high-speed rail links to the region.

He said the Highways Agency was investigating options for improving the A1 Western Bypass, which included short-term measures such as improving the clearing of accidents.

“We will then consider the options and the cost estimates of what needs to be done but I just stress there has been a huge amount of investment,” said Mr Brown.

He said spending on the region’s transport network had risen by 30% in the last five years from £481m to £623m, and highlighted that upgrading of the A1 between Dishforth and Barton in North Yorkshire was going ahead. Tyne and Wear councils had been involved in a Government-funded study looking at cutting congestion, said the Prime Minister.

Mr Brown said improvements were being made to rail services, but did not give explicit support for new high-speed connections to transform the region’s economy. “We are looking at all these things, we want the most modern transport system that we can get,” said the Prime Minister.

In wide-ranging comments, he defended controversial health reforms amid fears that traditional GPs will disappear and a mass post office closure programme in the region.

Mr Brown said thousands more GPs were now working and insisted the provision of services was a matter for them, with new health centres providing an additional boost.

Doctors’ leaders have warned the changes could squeeze existing surgeries, but the Prime Minister said: “Families will be able to use this health centres while remaining with their existing GPs.”

On post offices, he said: “We have done everything in our power to maintain as many post offices as possible.”

Mr Brown added 93% of the area’s population would see “no change” with 99.5% remaining within one mile of the nearest post office outlet.

Mr Brown said plans to build thousands of offshore wind turbines in the North Sea would transform the area from gas and oil production to renewable energy.

He also stressed the planning process had to be followed in deciding about onshore wind farms after being quizzed over doubts on their effectiveness.

The Prime Minister added the “voice of culture” in the North East was always going to be heard and revealed he had recently seen The Pitmen Painters play.

He also insisted a “huge amount of funding” had been provided amid concerns the huge success of culture in the region is under threat because of a cash squeeze.