A1 Northumberland Dualling

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Herned
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by Herned »

jackal wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 12:28 Indeed - the quotation marks indicate that this is a phrase used in the article rather than my editorialising. Apparently the CO2 information now being requested by the SoS scheme-by-scheme will in the future be part of the basic DCO template.
Yes, I didn't mean to imply you had added that... I'm very surprised it wasn't already TBH
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Gav
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by Gav »

The question about the A1 is that there is pent up demand there - The road is troubled with slow sections. And the dual carriageway sections to the south and the north need to be linked in. There is a considerable amount of traffic that will route via the '74 M6 A66 just to avoid the A1, mostly due to the single carriageway section and the Newcastle bypass. link the A1 DC sections and that section of road will attract a significant increase in traffic.
NICK 647063
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by NICK 647063 »

Gav wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 21:05 The question about the A1 is that there is pent up demand there - The road is troubled with slow sections. And the dual carriageway sections to the south and the north need to be linked in. There is a considerable amount of traffic that will route via the '74 M6 A66 just to avoid the A1, mostly due to the single carriageway section and the Newcastle bypass. link the A1 DC sections and that section of road will attract a significant increase in traffic.
The trouble is for the majority of Scotland it’s actually shorter mileage wise to use the A1(M) A66 and M6/M74 route, also add in the fact that the A66 will be fully dualled that will become even quicker!
It’s only really Edinburgh that is shorter and quicker using either the A1 or A68 routes but you still have 2 route options, the rest of Scotland including places like Perth northwards the A66 route is the best way.
mbeatts
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by mbeatts »

Should have a DCO answer on this by Monday.
Glenn A
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by Glenn A »

Most people travelling from Newcastle to Edinburgh, except in bad weather, use the A696/68 route as it's more direct and has less traffic. However, the A1 carries a lot of tourist traffic travelling to Alnwick Castle and other attractions nearby and is the main link between Newcastle, Morpeth, Alnwick and Berwick, and a tractor can cause massive tailbacks on S2 sections. Yes it is nice to see a reminder of how the A1 would have been in other parts of the country before the sixties, but the road is totally outdated and inadequate.
andypins
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by andypins »

Completely agree - just one piece of the jigsaw but will make a big difference- agricultural vehicles just one aspect that needs resolved though
jabbaboy
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by jabbaboy »

Glenn A wrote: Sat Dec 03, 2022 19:52 Most people travelling from Newcastle to Edinburgh, except in bad weather, use the A696/68 route as it's more direct and has less traffic. However, the A1 carries a lot of tourist traffic travelling to Alnwick Castle and other attractions nearby and is the main link between Newcastle, Morpeth, Alnwick and Berwick, and a tractor can cause massive tailbacks on S2 sections. Yes it is nice to see a reminder of how the A1 would have been in other parts of the country before the sixties, but the road is totally outdated and inadequate.
I'm not sure about that mind, it might be shorter but if you get a free run on both roads it's definitely not quicker. The A68 from Jedburgh to Edinburgh is a right slog especially now it's 20mph through all the villages - might as well be following a tractor on the A1.

As someone from the North East though, I'd much rather see the A69 dualled over the A1, Morpeth to Felton excluding which is needed for local traffic, apart from Edinburgh it's a much better route to anywhere else in Scotland as it avoids Sheriffhall, Hermiston Gait and the Queensferry Crossing and all three can be a pain if hit at the wrong time.

The A69 is also a much worse road, from Brampton to Greenhead in particular.
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JammyDodge
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by JammyDodge »

jabbaboy wrote: Sat Dec 03, 2022 20:10 As someone from the North East though, I'd much rather see the A69 dualled over the A1, Morpeth to Felton excluding which is needed for local traffic, apart from Edinburgh it's a much better route to anywhere else in Scotland as it avoids Sheriffhall, Hermiston Gait and the Queensferry Crossing and all three can be a pain if hit at the wrong time.

The A69 is also a much worse road, from Brampton to Greenhead in particular.
I wouldn't say dualled, but certainly upgraded
Some more S2+1 would be nice
Also Brampton - Greenhead could do with some bends and gradients being smoothed out with a bit of S2+1
As well as a bypass for Warwick Bridge and some minor junction safety improvements

Maybe like this
Designing Tomorrow, Around the Past
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KeithW
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by KeithW »

jabbaboy wrote: Sat Dec 03, 2022 20:10
I'm not sure about that mind, it might be shorter but if you get a free run on both roads it's definitely not quicker. The A68 from Jedburgh to Edinburgh is a right slog especially now it's 20mph through all the villages - might as well be following a tractor on the A1.

As someone from the North East though, I'd much rather see the A69 dualled over the A1, Morpeth to Felton excluding which is needed for local traffic, apart from Edinburgh it's a much better route to anywhere else in Scotland as it avoids Sheriffhall, Hermiston Gait and the Queensferry Crossing and all three can be a pain if hit at the wrong time.

The A69 is also a much worse road, from Brampton to Greenhead in particular.

The A68 is not a great road to send HGV's over and there is a fair bit of traffic headed from Newcastle to Edinburgh, over the Forth and on to Perth, Dundee and Aberdeen but I can definitely see the advantage in having access to Central and Nothern Scotland via a D2 A69, A74(M)/M74/M73/M80/M9 . Being based on Teesside my normal route is via the A66
jabbaboy
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by jabbaboy »

JammyDodge wrote: Sun Dec 04, 2022 08:19
jabbaboy wrote: Sat Dec 03, 2022 20:10 As someone from the North East though, I'd much rather see the A69 dualled over the A1, Morpeth to Felton excluding which is needed for local traffic, apart from Edinburgh it's a much better route to anywhere else in Scotland as it avoids Sheriffhall, Hermiston Gait and the Queensferry Crossing and all three can be a pain if hit at the wrong time.

The A69 is also a much worse road, from Brampton to Greenhead in particular.
I wouldn't say dualled, but certainly upgraded
Some more S2+1 would be nice
Also Brampton - Greenhead could do with some bends and gradients being smoothed out with a bit of S2+1
As well as a bypass for Warwick Bridge and some minor junction safety improvements

Maybe like this
Honestly can't disagree with that to be honest. The only thing I'd say different and I'm not sure how plausible it would be would be to just abandon the A69 through Warwick Bridge and built a whole new road like this and junction on the M6. It would give better access to Carlisle Airport but you could also redirect the Scottish traffic heading into Carlisle via it so it avoids the North of Carlisle on the A7 which is always congested.
carlisle.gif
The A689 is fine between there and Brampton, it's the route I'd always take into Carlisle anyway and still would with/without a Warwick Bridge bypass as the A69 is slow into Carlisle.
Glenn A
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by Glenn A »

jabbaboy wrote: Sat Dec 03, 2022 20:10
Glenn A wrote: Sat Dec 03, 2022 19:52 Most people travelling from Newcastle to Edinburgh, except in bad weather, use the A696/68 route as it's more direct and has less traffic. However, the A1 carries a lot of tourist traffic travelling to Alnwick Castle and other attractions nearby and is the main link between Newcastle, Morpeth, Alnwick and Berwick, and a tractor can cause massive tailbacks on S2 sections. Yes it is nice to see a reminder of how the A1 would have been in other parts of the country before the sixties, but the road is totally outdated and inadequate.
I'm not sure about that mind, it might be shorter but if you get a free run on both roads it's definitely not quicker. The A68 from Jedburgh to Edinburgh is a right slog especially now it's 20mph through all the villages - might as well be following a tractor on the A1.

As someone from the North East though, I'd much rather see the A69 dualled over the A1, Morpeth to Felton excluding which is needed for local traffic, apart from Edinburgh it's a much better route to anywhere else in Scotland as it avoids Sheriffhall, Hermiston Gait and the Queensferry Crossing and all three can be a pain if hit at the wrong time.

The A69 is also a much worse road, from Brampton to Greenhead in particular.
The A69 is a drag and for years on here, I have commented on the need to dual this section and by pass Low Row, with its 40 mph speed limit and sharp bends. I doubt fully dualling the A69 would ever be feasible due to the railway line and houses on next to the road between Haltwhistle and Greenhead, but certainly dualling the poor section from Greenhead to Brampton.
justanotheruser
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by justanotheruser »

Unurprisingly, the government deferred its decision: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-63866716
mbeatts
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by mbeatts »

9 month delay again!
mbeatts
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by mbeatts »

Wouldn't surprise me if the A1 scheme was going to fall foul. The delayed DCO and quite a few roles being made redundant at the Costain RDP who's scheme it is. Hmmm

https://biz.crast.net/big-road-plans-wi ... t-signals/
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Mark Hewitt
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by Mark Hewitt »

Glenn A wrote: Sat Dec 03, 2022 19:52 Most people travelling from Newcastle to Edinburgh, except in bad weather, use the A696/68 route as it's more direct and has less traffic. However, the A1 carries a lot of tourist traffic travelling to Alnwick Castle and other attractions nearby and is the main link between Newcastle, Morpeth, Alnwick and Berwick, and a tractor can cause massive tailbacks on S2 sections. Yes it is nice to see a reminder of how the A1 would have been in other parts of the country before the sixties, but the road is totally outdated and inadequate.
Do they? Whenever I head to that part of the world I use the A1. It's a longer way around but it's a faster road, about half an hour faster than the A68 give or take.
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Vierwielen
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by Vierwielen »

I checked out the route Durham to Edinburgh on ViaMichelin. I was given the choice of three routes - The A68 being the shortest at 197 km, the A697 which was the quickest at 1:45 hrs and the A1 which, although being both the longest in terms of tuime and distsnce was the cheapest at €19.21: the A68 route cost €19.80 and the A697 route €19.59. It appears that VIaMichelin prices motorway travel as being cheaper per unit distance than non-motorway driving.
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KeithW
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by KeithW »

Mark Hewitt wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 17:12 Do they? Whenever I head to that part of the world I use the A1. It's a longer way around but it's a faster road, about half an hour faster than the A68 give or take.

It's faster if there are no problems, all it takes on the S2 sections is an HGV breakdown or even worse an RTC and chaos ensues. Unless the weather is really bad I use the A696/A68, each to their own.
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owen b
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by owen b »

Google Maps is telling me as of now for Scotch Corner to A720 / A702 junction (Edinburgh bypass) :

A66 / M6 / A74(M) / A702 : 163 miles / 2 hours 53 minutes
A1(M) / A68 / A720 : 140 miles / 3:01
A1(M) / A1 / A696 / A68 / A720 : 146 miles / 2:54
A1(M) / A1 / A697 / A68 / A720 : 151 miles / 2:54
A1(M) / A1 / A720 : 164 miles / 2:48

There seems to be a closure by the Angel of the North at the moment (presumably related to the improvement work), but I overrode that on Google and this is what it is giving me.

There's not a lot in it, but the long way round via the A1 I think is generally marginally the quickest and it's what I usually choose when on a long trip Luton to/from Edinburgh / Forth Road Bridge area, although I admit that the other routes are more scenically interesting and more fun to drive.
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Mark Hewitt
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by Mark Hewitt »

KeithW wrote: Sun Feb 05, 2023 13:54
Mark Hewitt wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 17:12 Do they? Whenever I head to that part of the world I use the A1. It's a longer way around but it's a faster road, about half an hour faster than the A68 give or take.

It's faster if there are no problems, all it takes on the S2 sections is an HGV breakdown or even worse an RTC and chaos ensues. Unless the weather is really bad I use the A696/A68, each to their own.
You can say the exact same about the A696/A68.
belgarion
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Re: A1 Northumberland Dualling

Post by belgarion »

Did the A68 route a couple of years ago, the 20mph zones are a real pain, makes the A1 look better, though we do like a photo stop at Carter Bar. :D

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