Villages off A1 used as rat runs in busy periods

CONCERNS have been raised over drivers using Northumberland villages as rat runs to dodge A1 queues in busy periods.

- JAMES ROBINSON Local Democracy Reporter

There were significant issues last weekend due to Bank Holiday traffic, while there are concerns that this week's Lindisfarne Festival near Holy Island will cause similar problems.

The villages of Felton, Longhorsley, Longframlington and Thirston have all been particularly affected. Queues often form during busy spells at bottlenecks where the A1 changes from dual to single carriageway as traffic merges into one lane, with many drivers opting to try and use the villages to avoid long tailbacks.

The leader of Northumberland County Council, Coun Glen Sanderson, has held meetings on several occasions with National Highways officials in a bid to tackle the issue.

Speaking about the Bank Holiday weekend, he said: “We had a rotten time. There are junctions on the A1 that are used as rat runs.