A1 horror crash in Northumberland sparks fresh calls for dual carriageway
Horror Crash on A1 North of Alnwick Renews Calls for Dual Carriageway
A recent horror crash on the A1 north of Alnwick, which saw one person airlifted to hospital, has sparked renewed calls for the road to be converted into a dual carriageway. The leader of Northumberland County Council, Coun Glen Sanderson, has stated that he “will not be silenced” and will be writing to the Government’s Department for Transport to push for the dualling of the road.
Previous Incidents and Safety Concerns
The stretch of road between Morpeth and the Scottish Border has a long history of serious collisions, with two fatalities, 13 “serious” casualties, and 23 “slight” casualties reported in the past 12 months. The latest incident, which occurred on Thursday, has highlighted the need for urgent action to improve road safety.
Calls for Action from Local Leaders
Coun Sanderson has called for leaders to put politics aside and take action to bring the long-delayed dual carriageway to fruition. He emphasized that the road is a national road serviced by Highways England and that the current work being carried out is not sufficient to address the safety concerns. The council leader also pointed out that the county contributes around £35 billion in road tax each year, and that the cost of dualling the road is estimated to be less than £1 billion.
Government Response and Previous Commitments
In March this year, the Government committed to new safety improvements on the single-carriageway sections in Northumberland. However, the lack of mention of the A1 dualling project in the Government’s “Road Investment Strategy 3” (RIS3) was met with disappointment from local leaders. North East Mayor Kim McGuinness expressed her frustration at the lack of progress on the dualling project, stating that she will continue to advocate for the second lane to be added to the stretch between Morpeth and Ellingham.
Investigation and Response to Thursday’s Crash
A spokesperson for Northumbria Police reported that emergency services were in attendance at the scene of Thursday’s crash, which involved two cars and resulted in a section of the road being closed in both directions. Inquiries are ongoing, and motorists are advised to seek alternative routes. The condition of the person airlifted to hospital remains unknown at this time.
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