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I got told at one of the open day things that although Catterick North Southbound exit will be closed, it will be a gated emergency egress point ( If that is the correct term) to clear tailbacks etc should there be an emergency closure between Scotch and J52.
If this needed to be used, then the LAR would become snarled up with southbound traffic waiting/queuing to turn right at Brompton on Swale. The roundabout being to help traffic flow in these situations.
Also traffic to/from the cattery featured in the decision to build the roundabout but I cannot remember why.
SteveA30 wrote:As this stretch is now officially boring, the A19 is my new route of choice. I used it for the first time in August, to and from Scotland. Very pleasant and scenic route as far as the A174 and then industrially scenic north of there. I can see that the rush hour would be awkward but, my rare visits would just be timed to avoid that.
The reduction in stop choices south of Leeming on the A1(M), seems to have a huge effect on Wetherby. I pulled in there on the way south and had to queue to enter the site. There seemed to be no parking spaces and the fuel station was also heaving so, I joined the queue to get out again! I've never seen an MSA so full up. Only the M5 on summer Saturdays compares but, this was a weekday. Is there anything now between Leeming and Wetherby? There used to be petrol stations, LC's, transport cafes. What is at Rainton now? I joined from the A168 so, just missed that one. The A19 still has a good choice of stops.
Travelling from Tyneside to Yorkshire in the eighties, the A19 was often our preferred route as the A1(M) was no wider and the A1 from Barton to Leeming was nasty, with its at grade junctions and farm vehicles pulling out. Also the A19 had the Tees Bridge, views of the Transporter Bridge and the old Sunderland Airport.
Just recevied an e-mail re the temporary off slip southbound at Catterick North will be closing tomorrow evening (Wednesday). Rather short notice, but I think we all knew it was happening at some point.
Text as follows:
As an update, we are also looking to close the southbound exit slip road at Catterick North Bridge on Wednesday evening.
Any traffic travelling towards Brompton-on-Swale will now need to :
• Leave the A1 at Scotch Corner and continue south on the new local access road
• Leave the A1 at Junction 52 (Catterick) and cross Fort Bridge
Just a passing thought, directing traffic from Scotch down the new LAR to Brompton on Swale will mean it getting stuck at the temporary traffic lights where they will be constructing the new roundabout on Gatherley Road/Catterick North Overbridge junction.
I would think using J52 and Fort Bridge would be easier from both north and south bound traffic for Brompton on Swale.
Mikeg wrote:Will Carilion's problems have any effect on the project at this late stage?
Purely speculating, but as it is a 'joint venture' with Morgan Sindall (MS), then MS could look to transfer both the contract and/or staff to themselves in order to complete the contract. This is bearing in mind the contract is in its final stages (hopefully anyway!).
An alternative would be for the Department for Transport to step in to take over the running of the project at this late stage (if it had been the very early stages, the contract could have been re-let).
If the plant hire etc is contracted to the 'joint venture' then I cannot see the owners queing up to re-posess it. Anything that was directly hired/lent to Carillion though could be a different matter.
Overall though, I cannot see Carillion collapsing will make much difference at this late stage.
I'm sure I read somewhere once of suppliers to Laing once queuing up at the A41 construction area to "repossess" hire excavators etc. Things have probably changed since...
On the scheme website someone has posed the question regarding Carillion going into liquidation and its effect on this scheme. The reply from HE is as follows:
Thanks for your query. Morgan Sindall, who are the other main contractor involved in the joint venture to deliver the A1 Leeming to Barton scheme, have assured us that they have robust contingency plans in place. In the case of joint ventures, in the event of one party not being able to fulfil their commitments, there is a guarantee that the other company or companies jointly involved in the bids will step in and ensure the successful delivery of the work.
It looks (at last) like they are getting underway to fully open the mainline between Scotch Corner (J53) and Barton (J56) according to the latest weekly cascade e-mail.
It shows the following closures and works taking place:
Monday 22nd Jan to Sunday 28th Jan 20.00hrs to 06.00hrs Nightly - Northbound Full closures between Scotch Corner and junction 56 for barrier removal.
Also, surprisingly as works are still ongoing in the area:
Sat 20th Jan 20.00hrs to 06.00hrs - A1 Southbound full closure between scotch corner and 51 for CCTV removal.
Sunday 21st 20,00hrs to 06.00hrs- A1 Northbound full closure between junction 51 and 52 for CCTV removal.
Also
Friday 26th Jan 20.00hrs to 06.00hrs A1 northbound up over with contraflow lane closed Jct 52 to Catterick North Bridge contraflow removal.
I wonder if they are looking to fully open the mainline southbound between Scotch Corner (J53) and Catterick Central (J52) whilst leaving the narrow lanes and the 50mph limit northbound between Catterick Central (J52) and some point north of the River Swale, whilst the remedial stabilisation work is ongoing on the western (northbound) side around Fort Bridge and the River Swale?
The cynic in me wonders whether this sudden ‘spurt’ in working is down to Morgan Sindall now being solely responsible for all costs etc now that Carillion is no more!
Repmobile wrote:It looks (at last) like they are getting underway to fully open the mainline between Scotch Corner (J53) and Barton (J56) according to the latest weekly cascade e-mail.
It shows the following closures and works taking place:
Monday 22nd Jan to Sunday 28th Jan 20.00hrs to 06.00hrs Nightly - Northbound Full closures between Scotch Corner and junction 56 for barrier removal.
Also, surprisingly as works are still ongoing in the area:
Sat 20th Jan 20.00hrs to 06.00hrs - A1 Southbound full closure between scotch corner and 51 for CCTV removal.
Sunday 21st 20,00hrs to 06.00hrs- A1 Northbound full closure between junction 51 and 52 for CCTV removal.
Also
Friday 26th Jan 20.00hrs to 06.00hrs A1 northbound up over with contraflow lane closed Jct 52 to Catterick North Bridge contraflow removal.
I wonder if they are looking to fully open the mainline southbound between Scotch Corner (J53) and Catterick Central (J52) whilst leaving the narrow lanes and the 50mph limit northbound between Catterick Central (J52) and some point north of the River Swale, whilst the remedial stabilisation work is ongoing on the western (northbound) side around Fort Bridge and the River Swale?
The cynic in me wonders whether this sudden ‘spurt’ in working is down to Morgan Sindall now being solely responsible for all costs etc now that Carillion is no more!
Probably 50% MS wanting to avoid extra burdens, and 50% the removal of Carrilion's supposed one-in-one-out invoice payment policy....
To be fair this scheme seems pretty much finished the only reason it’s taking so long is that according to some locals who’s land was used for the new motorway, most road workers have been sent onto a job on the M42, I guess when it went over schedule it became less of a priority as it was already late so might as well take a bit longer.
Using this section daily at the moment from Leeds to Newcastle I would say the lane drop at leeming is crazy, at present traffic volumes haven’t caused it to become a queuing issue, which I guess at some point it will but it’s more a safety issue and a pain, suddenly all the HGV’s move over into lane 2 then I moved into lane 3 but with a speed limited van it takes a while to get past them and you can bet your life you always get some idiot right up your backside, it seems to be a section that causes some frustration!
Anyway I shall look forward to March when it should be open.
NICK 647063 wrote:To be fair this scheme seems pretty much finished the only reason it’s taking so long is that according to some locals who’s land was used for the new motorway, most road workers have been sent onto a job on the M42, I guess when it went over schedule it became less of a priority as it was already late so might as well take a bit longer.
Using this section daily at the moment from Leeds to Newcastle I would say the lane drop at leeming is crazy, at present traffic volumes haven’t caused it to become a queuing issue, which I guess at some point it will but it’s more a safety issue and a pain, suddenly all the HGV’s move over into lane 2 then I moved into lane 3 but with a speed limited van it takes a while to get past them and you can bet your life you always get some idiot right up your backside, it seems to be a section that causes some frustration!
Anyway I shall look forward to March when it should be open.
It will be a huge improvement and means you won't need to watch for tractors pulling out and at grade junctions, or struggling to get past a tractor doing 20 mph. For North Yorkshire it will be the equivalent to the A74 being replaced by the A74(M).
Bumping this thread again. Do we have a fixed date for the completion of the upgrade? By March or April?
"I see the face of a child. He lives in a great city. He is black. Or he is white. He is Mexican, Italian, Polish. None of that matters. What matters, he's an American child"
- Richard Nixon
McNessA720 wrote:Bumping this thread again. Do we have a fixed date for the completion of the upgrade? By March or April?
In a word - No.
The lastest on the scheme website comments section posted yesterday in response to a question was:
Thank you for your queries relating to the section of works between Brompton-on-Swale and Barton Junction. Whilst works in this area are still progressing, we are committed to our programme as set out in previous press releases when we had explained that works would be on-going until March 2018.
At the moment, we’re carrying out final and preparatory works ahead of us opening a further phase. At the earliest possible opportunity, we will ensure that dates are provided on the website and press releases are issued.
Kind Regards,
A1 Leeming to Barton team
So, they are still stating scheme completion for the suitably vague 'March 2018', although yet again the local rumour is that maybe somewhat optimistic in regards to the ongoing stabilisation works at Fort Bridge/River Swale.
They were knocked back a bit by the snow/ice last weekend and certain works that had been due to be completed last week have now been put back. For example, from this week's 'cascade' e-mail:
Tuesday 30th Jan to Sunday 04th Feb 20.00hrs to 06.00hrs Nightly
Northbound & Southbound Full closures between Scotch Corner and Junction 56 for barrier removal.
Fri 09th Feb 20:00hrs to 23:59hrs Sun 11th Feb
Full Closure of Silver Street from Barton Services to Kneeton Lane Junction
Thae latter was actually due to have been carried out last weekend but the freezing temperatures put paid to that.
We haven't had a particularly bad winter here but there has been several occasions where there has been a cold snap and snow lasting 2-3 days, which I imagine can put things right back if there's work scheduled.
I drove through the section for the first time in about 6 weeks and was flabergastered to see how little if anything had appeared to move on?
I appreciate there has been some bad weather, and I'm sure some work must have been done, but to the naked eye it looks like if this is finished by March 2019 I'll be amazed let alone 10 weeks time!
When I drove up on Friday afternoon northbound after Scotch Corner, all the steel barriers had gone. Just cones protecting the new carriageways and resurfacing plant
I'm hoping for a March completion date as this project seems to have dragged on forever. It will mean once it's completed, journey times will be reduced and the road will be a lot safer than the old A1.
Drove the northbound on Friday and it looked like there'd been some overnight surfacing the previous night around Scotch Corner. Long length that looked to be only in need of line markings and studs that could be opened up to traffic.
The embankment works on the northbound around Catterick look some way from completion though.
Patience is not a virtue - it's a concept invented by the dozy beggars who are unable to think quickly enough.
I was there today for the first time in 5 weeks (for 2 of which they'll have been on hols).
On the northern reaches of the scheme there are several new lengths of concrete central barrier which look permanent but are of a different cross-section from the older lengths that have been in place for between a few months and a couple of years. The new ones are not quite as tall as the old ones and wider at the base, more like an inverted Y. There are quite a number of places where there's a transition between the old and new shapes.
It looked to me as if the actual soil nailing (if that's what it is) near the river bridge was possibly finished and they just have to tidy the slope up by laying a grid on it.
