A1 cash re-announcement 'changes nothing'

A Government claim to have provided funding for a current Road Investment Strategy (RIS) scheme makes no difference to the delayed scheme, which is still awaiting a ministerial decision on its planning application, National Highways has said.

The scheme to dual a section of the A1 between Morpeth and Ellingham was among a raft of spending annoucements for transport schemes across the country said to result from savings from the decision to scrap Phase 2 of HS2.

In fact, the A1 scheme is described in the current RIS programme as a ‘committed’ scheme. As part of the process of seeking a development consent order (DCO), National Highways submitted a document to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) asserting that the scheme was funded.

However, as Highways has reported, the scheme has been held up by repeated delays from ministers. So far there remains an unpublished recommendation from PINS.

In its annual assessment of National Highways 2022-23, the Office of Rail and Road noted that the scheme should have started work during that year but was delayed by ministers’ postponement of the DCO decision.

Northumberland County Council leader Glen Sanderson welcomed the announcement on funding for the scheme and appeared to suggest that it meant that it had removed an obstacle to its progression.

Cllr Sanderson said: ‘We have long campaigned for the A1 dualling and were very disappointed when the decision was pushed back last month.

‘We have continued to push on the Minister's door to get the best possible deal for the county and the region and today’s announcement gives us renewed hope this vital scheme will come forward shortly.’

However, a National Highways spokesperson told Highways that its position is the same as last month when the latest delay to the DCO process was announced and that it has the new deadline for a decision – June of next year – 'in the diary'.