A1 blunders embarrass Lord Adonis

Jan 5 2010 by William Green, The Journal

THE Government faces fresh embarrassment over failing to upgrade the A1 after the Transport Secretary told Parliament that the North West is responsible for the road.

The Department for Transport (DfT) yesterday apologised after Secretary of State Lord Adonis gave an incorrect answer about dualling the A1 north of Newcastle to the Scottish border and promised to correct the error in Parliament “as soon as possible”.

But the department’s reply dropped another clanger when it referred to the road in Northumberland as the A1(M). As drivers know all too well, the A1 through the county falls very far short of motorway standard – the A1(M) runs out at Birtley, Gateshead.

The Transport Secretary has rebutted pressure to fully dual the A1 through Northumberland despite a coroner blasting the road’s safety after a head-on crash that claimed the lives of two drivers.

But now the Government will have to go back to Parliament after Lord Adonis appeared to place the A1 in the North West in response to questions by Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington, the former Northumbria and Metropolitan Police chief constable.

Lord Stevens, who has a home in Northumberland, asked what assessment had been made about the benefits of dualling the A1 north of Morpeth to the Scottish border for the North East economy, access to Scotland and road safety.

He also asked why a review of the costs of dualling the road was not proceeding as previously agreed.

In a written Parliamentary answer, Lord Adonis said all the issues were addressed in a study looking at the A1 north of Newcastle completed in 2002 – but insisted it was up to local authorities to push for any improvement scheme.