I can well understand my constituents’ frustration with the endless speculation and disappointment around dualling or not dualling the A1. My team and I use the road constantly between Berwick and Morpeth, as so do many of my constituents. This is an awful stretch of road and my heart sinks with news of every crash. 

Making the A1 safer for all of us is a major priority for me, and at the bottom of this post you will find a list of actions I have taken on this issue since becoming your MP last year.  

Development Consent Order

Recently there has been a lot of press around revoking the Development Consent Order for dualling the A1. These orders expire over time anyway and the point of removing it now is so that other developments and planning projects in the area aren’t held in limbo. This necessary administrative step has been used to create bad feeling again, but I return to the facts. There is documentation that shows the previous government mothballed these plans back in 2021. The funding was not in place and now we are dealing with the fallout.  

Government reviewing infrastructure investments process

The A1 is not going to be dualled in the short term, so removing the DCO makes sense. This does not and has not stopped me welcoming National Highways to visit the road and discuss the sensible safety improvements we can make as soon as possible. I am working on this constantly and using every bit of influence I have to finally bring you some good news.  

Long term things are changing too. The government has committed to a major change in how these kinds of infrastructure investments are determined. It is looking at the Treasury guidelines around value for money to consider other factors beyond just financial return on investment. Factors like safety. I’ll be campaigning hard to see this change so we can look at projects, like dualling the A1, as a whole. I think safety should come above return on investment every time.  

Please remember I am happy to discuss this issue with my constituents. I genuinely share your concerns and frustrations. Change takes time but I’m ready to go the distance, make the best of the situation and then push for wider reform. 

My work to make the A1 safer

November 2024 

Meeting with Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood, to discuss future of A1. 

January 2025 

Letter received from Lilian Greenwood, agreeing she would secure a meeting with National Highways to discuss making the A1 safer. 

Invited Lilian Greenwood to visit us in North Northumberland to visit danger hotspots. 

Visit with Norham Parish Council to discuss A1 safety.

February 2025 

Requested assurance from Lilian Greenwood that the stretch would be considered favourably for safety improvements under RS3 funding. 

March 2025 

National Highways visit to talk about safety improvements, visiting a number of dangerous junctions. 

May 2025 

Requested assurance from Lilian Greenwood that the stretch would be considered favourably for safety improvements under RS3 funding again.

June 2025 

National Highways share first route survey findings with my office. 

Meeting with Belford Parish council to discuss their concerns about A1. 

July 2025 

National Highways share first proposals for costing of safety improvements based on first route survey. 

Meeting with Lilian Greenwood followed by letter agreeing to consider improvements to the road subject to a business case from National Highways. 

August 2025 

Second stretch of A1 route survey by National Highways in progress. 

July 2024 to present day 

To date my team and I have responded to more than 200 letters from constituents about the A1.