'This is the most appalling act of betrayal'

AFTER years of campaigning to dual the A1 in Northumberland, the Secretary of State for Transport has officially revoked the consent for the project.

- JAMES ROBINSON Local Democracy Reporter

The controversial move has prompted a furious response in the county.

The previous Conservative Government gave the green light to the scheme in May 2024 - just after calling the General Election.

The decision had previously been delayed a number of times.

However, Labour scrapped the plan in last year's budget and claimed that the funding had not been secured. In August, it was announced that Secretary of State Heidi Alexander would move to quash the previously given consent and the minister has now followed through with that process.

It means any future proposals would require a fresh application, should the funding ever become available. The Government deemed that there were “exceptional circumstances” that meant the order to revoke could be made without an application to do so.

In a letter published by the Department for Transport justifying the decision, the Government gave four key reasons for the revocation of the consent.