A GRIEVING father whose son was killed on the A1 in Northumberland is aiming for 100,000 signatures on a petition to get safety improvements debated in parliament.
Alexander Gibson’s son, also called Alexander, died in a head-on collision on the road near Alnwick in November 2011. Mr Gibson Snr set up a petition calling on the Government to dual the A1 through Northumberland in order to prevent further loss of life. He handed in more than 11,000 signatures at 10 Downing Street on the anniversary of his son’s death.
Now, Mr Gibson has set his sights on hitting the 100,000 mark, in order to ensure that his petition gets debated in the House of Commons.
His son, 32, was a divorced father to a third Alexander, and Jaye. He lived in Berwick and worked as a driver.
His car drifted on to the wrong side of the road into the path of an oncoming 4x4 on single carriageway.
Retired Mr Gibson set up the petition under the name Project Alexander, calling for the road to be dualled from Berwick to Morpeth.
He set out to collect 10,000 signatures but by the November anniversary had amassed 11,167, including more than 1,100 on an e-petition.
Mr Gibson also met transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin at the House of Commons to discuss the issue. Now, he has set his sights on getting enough signatures online to get his petition debated by MPs.
Mr Gibson said: “When I was collecting signatures the stories I was told were quite unbelievable. The accidents, near accidents and of course fatal accidents.
“That’s why Project Alexander is running another petition but online this time and The Journal and other papers in the North East are taking part so spare a moment and sign.”
Mr Gibson has meanwhile spoken of his anger that the Government has pledged funds to dual the road south of Newcastle, but not north.
“It is a kick in the teeth when a petition named Project Alexander with over 11,000 signatures was handed in to 10 Downing Street by myself, wife and two grandchildren three weeks earlier to upgrade the A1 north of Newcastle.”
Treasury minister Danny Alexander recently said the Department for Transport would have to look again at the road in Northumberland.
