The study of British and Irish roads - their construction, numbering, history, mapping, past and future official roads proposals and general roads musings.
There is a separate forum for Street Furniture (traffic lights, street lights, road signs etc).
Registered users get access to other forums including discussions about other forms of transport, driving, fantasy roads and wishlists, and roads quizzes.
Maybe I’m getting too cynical in my old age, but is there a good reason why this isn’t referred to as just the Denwick to North Charlton scheme?
Is there possibly a hint of exaggeration with the way they name schemes nowadays, and is there a risk that it aids those who would wish to prevent any road improvement?
Paul7755 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 22, 2019 17:35
Maybe I’m getting too cynical in my old age, but is there a good reason why this isn’t referred to as just the Denwick to North Charlton scheme?
Is there possibly a hint of exaggeration with the way they name schemes nowadays, and is there a risk that it aids those who would wish to prevent any road improvement?
Paul
Its more likely just that Alnwick and Ellingham are the major settlements and their location is more widely know. In the same way the Leeming to Barton scheme was not Little Holtby to Barton. I have driven the A1 to Bamburgh, Lindisfarne and points north but if someone published a scheme to dual a road between Denwick and North Charlton I would have to turn to a map to be sure where it is.
Mark Hewitt wrote: ↑Fri Aug 23, 2019 09:41
IMO there isn't much point in this scheme without Morpeth to Felton, which is far more pressing. Is that still proceeding?
Paul7755 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 22, 2019 17:35
Maybe I’m getting too cynical in my old age, but is there a good reason why this isn’t referred to as just the Denwick to North Charlton scheme?
Is there possibly a hint of exaggeration with the way they name schemes nowadays, and is there a risk that it aids those who would wish to prevent any road improvement?
Paul
Its more likely just that Alnwick and Ellingham are the major settlements and their location is more widely know. In the same way the Leeming to Barton scheme was not Little Holtby to Barton. I have driven the A1 to Bamburgh, Lindisfarne and points north but if someone published a scheme to dual a road between Denwick and North Charlton I would have to turn to a map to be sure where it is.
I still think it’s quite a stretch to think of Ellingham as a major place, as opposed to how Alnwick obviously is. I think the idea is that the new bit allows them to say that it provides continuous dual carriageway “as far as Ellingham”, assuming Morpeth to Felton happens as well.
Mark Hewitt wrote: ↑Fri Aug 23, 2019 09:41
IMO there isn't much point in this scheme without Morpeth to Felton, which is far more pressing. Is that still proceeding?
Politically yes, the smaller the remaining gaps, the greater the pressure to fix them. Even if the section being built isn't the most urgent.
Much as it's like a trip back in time to 1959 to drive on these S2 sections of the A1 in Northumberland, they are totally inadequate and it's a shame that while most of the remaining S2 sections of the A1 in Scotland have been dualled, most of the English A1 north of Morpeth is still S2. It is time that this road is upgraded as for all there is the alternative of the A697/A68 route to Edinburgh, this is more prone to snow in winter.
Mark Hewitt wrote: ↑Fri Aug 23, 2019 09:41
IMO there isn't much point in this scheme without Morpeth to Felton, which is far more pressing. Is that still proceeding?
That one is further along. Should be submitted to the planning inspectorate this year for 2020/21 start of works.
Mark Hewitt wrote: ↑Fri Aug 23, 2019 09:41
IMO there isn't much point in this scheme without Morpeth to Felton, which is far more pressing. Is that still proceeding?
That one is further along. Should be submitted to the planning inspectorate this year for 2020/21 start of works.
Mark Hewitt wrote: ↑Fri Aug 23, 2019 09:41
IMO there isn't much point in this scheme without Morpeth to Felton, which is far more pressing. Is that still proceeding?
That one is further along. Should be submitted to the planning inspectorate this year for 2020/21 start of works.
Excellent. It’s well overdue.
Good, now let's see if the whole of the A1 can be dualled by the end of the next decade.
It’s arguable if substantial dialling is needed North of Alnwick. The problem area has always been around Morpeth, that should have been done 20-30 years ago.
The main issues north of Alnwick are safety and resilience rather than traffic levels. There are a lot of flat junctions and any accident or even a simple breakdown can cause massive tail backs as there are very few diversion routes suitable for HGV's between Alnwick and Berwick. On the BBC programme Britains Longest Road there were major issues reopening the A1 in Northumberland as the recovery trucks were stuck at the end of a queue that was several miles long.
Despite it no longer being a matter of course, the Stannington Bridge to
Clifton improvement (1987) was economically justified to complete the
dual-carriageway between Newcastle and Morpeth, as was a small
improvements at Brownieside, north of Alnwick, in 1993.
Quite a few good opening dates which could be put into the Wiki if anyone has some idle time
crazyknightsfan wrote: ↑Mon Aug 26, 2019 03:46
How long ago was the realignment/dualling at Charlton Burn done?
There is still a blue-bordered ADS on the old alignment
Despite it no longer being a matter of course, the Stannington Bridge to
Clifton improvement (1987) was economically justified to complete the
dual-carriageway between Newcastle and Morpeth, as was a small
improvements at Brownieside, north of Alnwick, in 1993.
Quite a few good opening dates which could be put into the Wiki if anyone has some idle time
1993 sounds about right. I remember going out during a half term holiday to help my dad measure sightlines at this junction as part of NCC's acceptance of the new side roads https://www.google.com/maps/@55.5123566 ... 312!8i6656
crazyknightsfan wrote: ↑Mon Aug 26, 2019 03:46
How long ago was the realignment/dualling at Charlton Burn done?
There is still a blue-bordered ADS on the old alignment
Despite it no longer being a matter of course, the Stannington Bridge to
Clifton improvement (1987) was economically justified to complete the
dual-carriageway between Newcastle and Morpeth, as was a small
improvements at Brownieside, north of Alnwick, in 1993.
Quite a few good opening dates which could be put into the Wiki if anyone has some idle time
Stannington was by passed in 1987, replacing a 50 mph S2 section of the A1. Also the A1 skirted around part of the village, but this wasn't considered good enough, and a full by pass was built to end the 2 mile section of S2 between Newcastle and Morpeth.
Around this time, a 2 mile missing link of D2 on the A69 between Newcastle and Corbridge was built, but with a pair of at grade junctions remaining where you need to be vigilant. ( The filling station next to the original carriageway was demolished in 1986).
crazyknightsfan wrote: ↑Mon Aug 26, 2019 03:46
How long ago was the realignment/dualling at Charlton Burn done?
There is still a blue-bordered ADS on the old alignment
Despite it no longer being a matter of course, the Stannington Bridge to
Clifton improvement (1987) was economically justified to complete the
dual-carriageway between Newcastle and Morpeth, as was a small
improvements at Brownieside, north of Alnwick, in 1993.
Quite a few good opening dates which could be put into the Wiki if anyone has some idle time
Stannington was by passed in 1987, replacing a 50 mph S2 section of the A1. Also the A1 skirted around part of the village, but this wasn't considered good enough, and a full by pass was built to end the 2 mile section of S2 between Newcastle and Morpeth.
Around this time, a 2 mile missing link of D2 on the A69 between Newcastle and Corbridge was built, but with a pair of at grade junctions remaining where you need to be vigilant. ( The filling station next to the original carriageway was demolished in 1986).