THE national importance of the A1 north of Newcastle has finally been recognised by Whitehall after years of campaigning.

Transport Minister Norman Baker yesterday confirmed the A1 from Newcastle to the Scottish border has been made a route of strategic national importance.

Campaigners hope the road’s reclassification from being a regionally important route could open the door to additional funding – although the Government has stressed there is no guarantee money will be found to upgrade the route.

Political and business leaders have for years been calling on ministers to fully dual the route on safety and economic grounds. In the past, hundreds of millions of pounds of required funding was effectively denied to the North East by Whitehall.

It insisted any upgrade had to be paid for without help from national spending funds, leaving the region unable to pay for dualling as it would use the North East’s entire funding stream on a single project.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan, director of the A1 Action Group, said: “I am thrilled that following the consultation the ministers have listened to our argument and that this important strategic change has now been implemented.

“I am having ongoing discussions with ministers and Whitehall about how we can help them to understand the economic importance both to the region and UK plc for the infrastructure investment that is needed.”

She added that campaigners would continue to press the case for funding to upgrade the road, with the Department for Transport currently looking at changing its criteria to decide how to allocate spending.

The Government’s decision also reflected how local people could get together and influence ministers, said Mrs Trevelyan.

Sir Alan Beith, Liberal Democrat MP for Berwick, said: “I welcome the decision of the coalition Government but it has come at a time when there is virtually no money in the pool for national road schemes.

“I will continue to make the case for the strategic importance for dualling the A1 and the economic development of the North East and the Scottish Borders.”

He added: “There are dangerous stretches of the road which should be prioritised such as the section south of Belford and action on these would be a very clear signal that the strategic importance of the road is recognised.”