A1 dualling ‘not yet off the table’, mayor insists

DUALLING the A1 in Northumberland is “not off the table’; two top Labour politicians have insisted.

- DANIEL HOLLAND

North East mayor Kim McGuinness and North Northumberland MP David Smith told business leaders on Wednesday evening that they still believe the heavily-debated upgrade of the congested route can be revived.

‘That is despite the Labour Government deeming the project “unfunded and unaffordable” last year and moving this month to revoke the development consent order that would have allowed it to proceed.

A campaign to dual 13 miles of single carriageway on the A1 between Morpeth and Ellingham has been going on for decades amid longstanding complaints that it can suffer from severe traffic queues and is a blackspot for accidents.

Speaking at a question and answer session with members of the Alnwick Business Forum, Ms McGuinness said she was “deeply frustrated” by the situation.