Tragedies lead to new call for A1 dualling

Dec 22 2009 by David Black, The Journal

A RENEWED campaign for improvements to the lethal A1 in Northumberland should be escalated during the run-up to the next General Election, according to a North East peer.

Lord Walton of Detchant – whose home in Belford is close to one of the most notorious single carriageway stretches – has called for “renewed and strident” efforts to have the road fully dualled between Morpeth and Berwick.

Lord Walton, who has been campaigning in the House of Lords for A1 upgrades for more than 15 years, says three recent fatalities have “brought yet again into stark focus the necessity of dualling this dangerous road”.

He said it is vital for the campaign to be pushed back to the top of the political agenda in the months leading up to the General Election next year.

Earlier this month Transport Secretary Lord Adonis rejected calls to dual the Northumberland route, despite a coroner’s warning that further preventable deaths are bound to happen on its single-lane stretches.

Lord Adonis said dualling was a matter for the North East local authorities, claiming traffic flows on the route don’t even come close to meeting the requirements for making it part of the national strategic road network.

Earlier, North Northumberland coroner Tony Brown said the A1 from Morpeth to Berwick was the “weakest link” in the 330-mile road between London and Edinburgh because of its dangerous mixture of single and dual carriageway sections.

He was speaking following inquests on drivers Ian Thompson, 51, of Embleton, David Clarkson, 42, from London, and Alan Gair, 37, of Amble, who died in two separate accidents on single-lane stretches.

Both accidents involved drivers from outside the area making dangerous overtaking manoeuvres and colliding head-on with blameless local drivers, Mr Thompson and Mr Gair.

Lord Walton, a former professor of neurology and dean of medicine at Newcastle University, said dualling of the dangerous Mousen Bends stretch near Belford had been scheduled to start this year, and the Morpeth to Felton section next year. However, both schemes were postponed by the Government because traffic flows did not justify them.

He said: “As a regular traveller on the road I can confirm that, while the volume of traffic is variable, there are times when it is very heavy indeed, and overtaking on the single carriageway sections is an exceptionally hazardous procedure.

“Surely whichever government wins the next election must be persuaded to re-classify this route as one of national importance, coupled with the decision that the postponed schemes must be given priority as an important start.”

Lord Walton said he is aware of efforts by his parliamentary colleagues, such as Berwick MP Sir Alan Beith and Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington, also in Northumberland, to secure Government action on the issue.

But he added: “I believe it is vital, when a General Election is pending, that the campaign on this matter should now escalate.”