A1 Northumberland Dualling

[Mark Hewitt]

Yes, the A1 goes back to the 1950s north of Morpeth and anyone driving from Morpeth to Berwick has a tedious journey as most of the road is still S2. I would support dualling Morpeth- Alnwick first, then the rest of the road to Berwick.

The Morpeth to Alnwick gap has always been the most infurating, going back decades. It's the busiest too so it's always a tedious crawl when there's D2 on either side.

It is quite a wide S2, like the A1 used to be further south decades ago, but very difficult to get past tractors and the numerous junctions and farm tracks make overtaking dangerous. Certainly the missing link needs to be done first.

The wideness doesn't seem to make a difference here. It's a winding road with few overtaking opportunities and even if you did overtake, what's the point as it's usually a 7 mile snake of nose to tail 35mph traffic.

[KeithW]

From a North of Scotland perspective dualling the A66 would be much more beneficial and should be a much higher priority than the A1. The A66 upgraded would benefit a much wider area than the A1.

Indeed for Edinburgh area more 2+1 and bypasses on the A68 would win.

Your wish has been granted, dualling the A66 from Scotch Corner to Penrith has been approved as of March 8th.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/a66- ... -announced

They have been carrying out survey work for some time.

[orudge]

Hopefully this project makes it through to completion - having spent a week there just off the A1 last summer (and going back again this summer), the single carriageway sections were certainly somewhat of a bottleneck. Though the central reservation gaps on the dualled section south of Alnwick weren't very fun either (the sat nav suggested we turn right onto the A1 through one of these small gaps, which we hadn't realised until we got to the junction itself - we took different routes after that!).

[Nicola_Jayne]

The issue is not so traffic volumes but what happens when there is an HGV breakdown or an incident. With no hard shoulder passing is very difficult. The queues can become very long and even getting a recovery vehicle to the scene can be a challenge.

If that's the problem then surely widening the existing road to WS2 would be sufficient. My recollection is that most or all of Morpeth to Felton is wider than standard S2 already, so I presume that widening to WS2 would be a whole lot cheaper than full dualling.

I agree with NICK 647063 that the A66 (Scotch Corner to Penrith) is a much higher priority than the Northumberland stretch of the A1 for improving East of England (by which I mean North East, Yorkshire, East Midlands) links with Scotland.

Much of the single carriageway north of Newcastle has flows of less than 14,000 AADT. If future-proofing was desirable to Westminster (ha ha) a comparatively cheap solution would be to make those sections WS2+1, which has a capacity of 25,000 (DMRB CD 109). Providing sufficient land was taken to enable dualling in future, that would be a problem nicely kicked a decade or two into the future. Which is surely what all politicians aspire to happen, making things someone else's problem.

'fitted for but not with D2' as per the Lincoln eastern bypass ?

[jabbaboy]

If that's the problem then surely widening the existing road to WS2 would be sufficient. My recollection is that most or all of Morpeth to Felton is wider than standard S2 already, so I presume that widening to WS2 would be a whole lot cheaper than full dualling.

I agree with NICK 647063 that the A66 (Scotch Corner to Penrith) is a much higher priority than the Northumberland stretch of the A1 for improving East of England (by which I mean North East, Yorkshire, East Midlands) links with Scotland.

Much of the single carriageway north of Newcastle has flows of less than 14,000 AADT. If future-proofing was desirable to Westminster (ha ha) a comparatively cheap solution would be to make those sections WS2+1, which has a capacity of 25,000 (DMRB CD 109). Providing sufficient land was taken to enable dualling in future, that would be a problem nicely kicked a decade or two into the future. Which is surely what all politicians aspire to happen, making things someone else's problem.

'fitted for but not with D2' as per the Lincoln eastern bypass ?

Don't really see the point in this, it's just saving money for the sake of it for it then to be done again in the future no doubt anyway. Just do it properly and then never touch the thing ever again.

Also the A66, is totally different traffic. I'd argue that the vast majority of traffic on the A1 is travelling between Berwick / the Northumberland Coast / Alnwick and Newcastle and beyond rather than going cross border.

[jackal]

I agree, "for but not with" and S2+1 are both poor long term value compared to D2.

[NREGMINI]

There does need to be some kind of overtaking opportunity between Belford and Berwick whether it be 2+1 or D2

[jabbaboy]

There does need to be some kind of overtaking opportunity between Belford and Berwick whether it be 2+1 or D2

Personally I don't see the point in the scheme North of Alnwick, the only argument for it is so they can shout that they've done a ridiculous length of road by including the section already done.

It would be much better to do two smaller schemes further North, especially from Belford to Waren Mill as that section is just outright dangerous including the Mousson Bends.

Maybe then in the future there could be a second scheme around Haggerston Castle and the Lindisfarne Junction which are equally as bad.

Do that and it's more than enough having overtaking opportunities every 5 mile or so.

[KeithW]

There does need to be some kind of overtaking opportunity between Belford and Berwick whether it be 2+1 or D2

Personally I don't see the point in the scheme North of Alnwick, the only argument for it is so they can shout that they've done a ridiculous length of road by including the section already done.

It would be much better to do two smaller schemes further North, especially from Belford to Waren Mill as that section is just outright dangerous including the Mousson Bends.

Maybe then in the future there could be a second scheme around Haggerston Castle and the Lindisfarne Junction which are equally as bad.

Do that and it's more than enough having overtaking opportunities every 5 mile or so.

All it takes is an HGV, bus or coach breakdown between Alnwick and Berwick on an S2 section and you have traffic chaos as the breakdown vehicles themselves can't reach it.
https://www.google.com/maps/@55.4352621 ... &entry=ttu

[jabbaboy]

There does need to be some kind of overtaking opportunity between Belford and Berwick whether it be 2+1 or D2

Personally I don't see the point in the scheme North of Alnwick, the only argument for it is so they can shout that they've done a ridiculous length of road by including the section already done.

It would be much better to do two smaller schemes further North, especially from Belford to Waren Mill as that section is just outright dangerous including the Mousson Bends.

Maybe then in the future there could be a second scheme around Haggerston Castle and the Lindisfarne Junction which are equally as bad.

Do that and it's more than enough having overtaking opportunities every 5 mile or so.

All it takes is an HGV, bus or coach breakdown between Alnwick and Berwick on an S2 section and you have traffic chaos as the breakdown vehicles themselves can't reach it.
https://www.google.com/maps/@55.4352621 ... &entry=ttu

No arguments, but I'd argue that sections like this: https://www.google.com/maps/@55.5762511 ... &entry=ttu and pedestrian crossings like this (can see the number of people using it including buggies): https://www.google.com/maps/@55.6866232 ... ?entry=ttu

Should be higher priority than a massive straight with few junctions.

[Mark Hewitt]

No arguments, but I'd argue that sections like this: https://www.google.com/maps/@55.5762511 ... &entry=ttu and pedestrian crossings like this (can see the number of people using it including buggies): https://www.google.com/maps/@55.6866232 ... ?entry=ttu

Should be higher priority than a massive straight with few junctions.

It would be safer there for the bus stop to be in the layby. It needs the protected right turn extending further to meet up with the existing one at the vehcile entrance. That is a fast section of road (I have driven it many times and stayed in the park) and having busses pull in there isn't ideal.

[jabbaboy]

It would be safer there for the bus stop to be in the layby. It needs the protected right turn extending further to meet up with the existing one at the vehcile entrance. That is a fast section of road (I have driven it many times and stayed in the park) and having busses pull in there isn't ideal.

Yeah agreed to be honest, I'm surprised they haven't reduced the speed limit along that section as I know there's been issues with pedestrians being hit there, more than once. 60 mph (plus the rest) on a bend where there's kids around is probably a bit too much.

[c2R]

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/733
The A1 in Northumberland: Morpeth to Ellingham Development Consent Order 2024

[Mark Hewitt]

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/733
The A1 in Northumberland: Morpeth to Ellingham Development Consent Order 2024

What does this mean in practice?

[c2R]

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/733
The A1 in Northumberland: Morpeth to Ellingham Development Consent Order 2024

What does this mean in practice?

The DCO is the legal framework for allowing the construction to take place, including the highways and public rights of way to be constructed, improved, and stopped up. It may also include indicative numbering. It's a hurdle in the process...

[Mark Hewitt]

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/733
The A1 in Northumberland: Morpeth to Ellingham Development Consent Order 2024

What does this mean in practice?

The DCO is the legal framework for allowing the construction to take place, including the highways and public rights of way to be constructed, improved, and stopped up. It may also include indicative numbering. It's a hurdle in the process...

Okay thanks. Is there a timeline now for start of construction?

[c2R]

What does this mean in practice?

The DCO is the legal framework for allowing the construction to take place, including the highways and public rights of way to be constructed, improved, and stopped up. It may also include indicative numbering. It's a hurdle in the process...

Okay thanks. Is there a timeline now for start of construction?

The next hurdle is passing the six week mark following the publication of the DCO for any objections to be made to the High Court...

[Mark Hewitt]

The DCO is the legal framework for allowing the construction to take place, including the highways and public rights of way to be constructed, improved, and stopped up. It may also include indicative numbering. It's a hurdle in the process...

Okay thanks. Is there a timeline now for start of construction?

The next hurdle is passing the six week mark following the publication of the DCO for any objections to be made to the High Court...

Now we have to hope Labour doesn't immediately cancel this upon taking office.

[OliverH]

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/733
The A1 in Northumberland: Morpeth to Ellingham Development Consent Order 2024

What does this mean in practice?

The DCO is the legal framework for allowing the construction to take place, including the highways and public rights of way to be constructed, improved, and stopped up. It may also include indicative numbering. It's a hurdle in the process...

Finally!!!

[Glenn A]

Okay thanks. Is there a timeline now for start of construction?

The next hurdle is passing the six week mark following the publication of the DCO for any objections to be made to the High Court...

Now we have to hope Labour doesn't immediately cancel this upon taking office.

There would be little point as possibly they could win the North Northumberland constituency and a main part of the campaign there has been dualling the A1. Hopefully the environmental neanderthals, who are a bigger risk, don't take this to court as surely it's greener to have a D2 than an S2 that's prone to severe congestion.