A1(M) Leeming - Barton

[Repmobile]

Well, Leeming to Catterick finally opened this morning, 70mph, 3 lanes and no cones (well, northbound the cones and 50mph limit start just south of J52 at Catterick).

Unfortunately this morning's major accident between J48 and J49 made the opening a somewhat quiet affair northbound.

We just need Catterick to Barton to get sorted now!.

[A9NWIL]

Well, Leeming to Catterick finally opened this morning, 70mph, 3 lanes and no cones (well, northbound the cones and 50mph limit start just south of J52 at Catterick).

Unfortunately this morning's major accident between J48 and J49 made the opening a somewhat quiet affair northbound.

We just need Catterick to Barton to get sorted now!.

Its a shame that couldnt have opened last week when I was driving through it!

[Mikeg]

Well, Leeming to Catterick finally opened this morning, 70mph, 3 lanes and no cones (well, northbound the cones and 50mph limit start just south of J52 at Catterick).

Unfortunately this morning's major accident between J48 and J49 made the opening a somewhat quiet affair northbound.

We just need Catterick to Barton to get sorted now!.

Its a shame that couldnt have opened last week when I was driving through it!

North bound from Leeming at 4:30pm on Friday three lane of stationary traffic instead of the usual 2. Oh joy!

[Rob590]

Well having done this stretch up and down 3 times in the last fortnight, it was a pleasure to run through the opened bit this weekend! An easy road to drive on and am looking forward to the full opening.

[Burns]

When this is done, are they going to add a third lane to the current A1(M) between Barton and Chester-le-Street?

[A9NWIL]

When this is done, are they going to add a third lane to the current A1(M) between Barton and Chester-le-Street?

I would rather they focused on getting the A1(M) completed from London to Edinburgh first, then come back and widen the rest to D3M.

[Burns]

The M1 already reaches Edinburgh... if you know where to look.

[Stevie D]

I would rather they focused on getting the A1(M) completed from London to Edinburgh first, then come back and widen the rest to D3M.

I wouldn't have thought Highways England could give a damn what happens north of Berwick-upon-Tweed...

[Osthagen]

When this is done, are they going to add a third lane to the current A1(M) between Barton and Chester-le-Street?

I would rather they focused on getting the A1(M) completed from London to Edinburgh first, then come back and widen the rest to D3M.

…and renumbering it with an appropriate Mx number?

[A9NWIL]

The M1 already reaches Edinburgh... if you know where to look.

You have lost me the M1 currently stops on the A1(M) just north of Leeds, I would of course be in favour of extending the number right up the A1(M) to Edinburgh, as I have said on a number of occasions, with the rest of the A1/A1(M) route becoming the M10. The LAR could be quietly named the A1 as a non primary route.

I would rather they focused on getting the A1(M) completed from London to Edinburgh first, then come back and widen the rest to D3M.

I wouldn't have thought Highways England could give a damn what happens north of Berwick-upon-Tweed...

Maybe not but if there was a consensus between England and Scotland to get the route made into a motorway then HE would work up to the border on the English side and Scotland would deal with the Scottish side.

…and renumbering it with an appropriate Mx number?

Yes M1 to Edinburgh at least perhaps up the A720 to meet the rest of the Scottish motorway network.

[Burns]

The M1 already reaches Edinburgh... if you know where to look.

You have lost me the M1 currently stops on the A1(M) just north of Leeds...

Well, I did say "if you know where to look". Technically, I'm not wrong.

[A9NWIL]

The M1 already reaches Edinburgh... if you know where to look.

You have lost me the M1 currently stops on the A1(M) just north of Leeds...

Well, I did say "if you know where to look". Technically, I'm not wrong.

I see very clever, thats not a motorway, neither is that the UK!

[wrinkly]

Yesterday the LAR looked ready to reopen between Catterick North and the Travelodge (as far as I could see it from the points where it was accessible, and except for road markings).

[Mark Hewitt]

When this is done, are they going to add a third lane to the current A1(M) between Barton and Chester-le-Street?

I would rather they focused on getting the A1(M) completed from London to Edinburgh first, then come back and widen the rest to D3M.

Motorway all the way to Edinburgh would be overkill, especially when you consider a large proportion of it is still S2. Dualling all the way would seem a pipe-dream nevermind motorway but as least it's a realistic prospect.

[Conekicker]

Well there are a couple of new bits of dualling just north of Newcastle in the pipeline.

[Mark Hewitt]

Well there are a couple of new bits of dualling just north of Newcastle in the pipeline.

Yes, but those projects were ones which had they gone to the original plan would have already been open for 11 years. There's certainly no overall plan to dual all the way to Berwick.

[Osthagen]

When this is done, are they going to add a third lane to the current A1(M) between Barton and Chester-le-Street?

I would rather they focused on getting the A1(M) completed from London to Edinburgh first, then come back and widen the rest to D3M.

Motorway all the way to Edinburgh would be overkill, especially when you consider a large proportion of it is still S2. Dualling all the way would seem a pipe-dream nevermind motorway but as least it's a realistic prospect.

I've said it before & I'll say it again. If this were any other country, continuous motorway standard between Edinburgh & London would have been completed at least 20 years ago.

[Altnabreac]

I would rather they focused on getting the A1(M) completed from London to Edinburgh first, then come back and widen the rest to D3M.

Motorway all the way to Edinburgh would be overkill, especially when you consider a large proportion of it is still S2. Dualling all the way would seem a pipe-dream nevermind motorway but as least it's a realistic prospect.

I've said it before & I'll say it again. If this were any other country, continuous motorway standard between Edinburgh & London would have been completed at least 20 years ago.

I'm very much in favour of a high quality dualled A1 with GSJs and gap closures fully implemented from Dunbar to Morpeth.

However the prime reason the A1 isn't complete in this way is because the vast majority of Edinburgh - England traffic does not use the A1. If it all used the A1 the AADTs would justify dualling straight away.

If you were to walk due south from Princes Street you'd get your first taste of salty water when you hit the Solway Firth four miles west of Gretna, you then enter the sea again near Barrow and don't make landfall until the Wirral.

Edinburgh is further west than Bridgwater, Newport, Shrewsbury and Wrexham. Fundamentally it's on the western side of the UK, even though it's on the eastern side of Scotland so for a large part of Edinburgh - England cross border journeys travelling via the west coast will be quicker.

[Repmobile]

Yesterday the LAR looked ready to reopen between Catterick North and the Travelodge (as far as I could see it from the points where it was accessible, and except for road markings).

The LAR between Scotch Corner and Brompton on Swale gets a mention in today's 'daily update' e-mail regarding the Scotch Corner resurfacing:

As an update on surfacing works at Scotch Corner, please note that these are heavily weather dependent. Recent weather conditions mean that some of the routes that we will be using for diversions still need to be completed including Kneeton Lane and the local access road between Scotch Corner and Brompton-on-Swale. Please note that any use of the local access road will only be temporary at this stage.

Our first phase will be working on the north west side of the Scotch Corner Roundabout and will require:

• Traffic lights on the A66, to manage traffic flows around Scotch Corner roundabout
• Closures of the access from the A6108, Middleton Tyas Lane and the VOSA roundabout on to the junction
• It will still be possible to leave Scotch Corner Junction and use the A6108 towards Skeeby and Richmond (but not the reverse route)

Diversions will be in place as follows:

• Traffic for Scotch Corner Services and Middleton Tyas will be diverted via Barton Junction and returning south using the local access road and Kneeton Lane
• Traffic from Scurragh Lane, Skeeby travelling will need to divert through Richmond and Catterick Garrison to join the A1

Our start date will be confirmed later in the week and at that point daily information will continue until our surfacing works are complete.

Kind Regards

So, it looks like the LAR from Catterick North to Scotch Corner will open soon but only temporarily!

I seem to recall from one of their exhibitions many months ago that this stretch of LAR would only open permanently once the temporary junction northbound onto the mainline closes (unlesss their plans have changed again of course).

[wrinkly]

So, it looks like the LAR from Catterick North to Scotch Corner will open soon but only temporarily!

That's a bit bizarre. I wonder why it's needed? The section from Scurragh Lane to the Travelodge has already been opened once and then closed again.

I seem to recall from one of their exhibitions many months ago that this stretch of LAR would only open permanently once the temporary junction northbound onto the mainline closes (unlesss their plans have changed again of course).

I would express that the other way round - I imagine that the northbound access onto the main line at Catterick North, and corresponding southbound exit, are being kept open until the contractors are ready to permanently reopen the LAR between Catterick North and Scotch Corner.