Leaders demand urgent A1 action

North East leaders are pressing the Government for urgent action on the A1 in Northumberland, arguing the route is no longer fit for demand.

Northumberland County Council leader Glen Sanderson and North East mayor Kim McGuinness have written to transport secretary Heidi Alexander, warning that further delays could risk more fatalities on the route.

The pair are seeking a meeting with Government to address concerns around overcapacity and the lack of dual carriageway on sections of the road.

Figures show there were 173 fatal collisions on the A1 in Northumberland between 1978 and 2026, with most linked to single carriageway stretches.

Councillor Sanderson said: “Because of the really significant growth in business and tourism in the county, the road is unable to cope with the levels of traffic it now sees, resulting in it coming to a halt in a number of locations, and many drivers driving through our towns and villages trying to find alternative routes.

“However, our main concern is around the safety compromise that inevitably takes place when a road slips between dual and single carriageway. 

“Over many years this has resulted in high levels of death and serious injury, bringing untold grief.

“In the last two weeks alone, we have seen five people killed on the road and more seriously injured – that is absolutely tragic and totally unacceptable.”

“While we understand that some local safety schemes are underway, these will not help remedy the key issues of overcapacity and lack of dual carriageway.

"Working with the mayor, our own councillors and the county’s MPs, we want to put party politics aside and enter a discussion with Government around reviewing the decision not to dual this key road.”

Mayor McGuinness added: “We urgently need action to dual the A1 – too many lives are sadly being lost and we need a solution to make the road safer for residents and road users. 

“While safety improvements have been committed to which we welcome, it doesn’t go far enough and we have told Government this – the road must be dualled so we can avoid more tragic deaths on the A1. 

“We have sadly seen more fatalities in the last few weeks which is heart-breaking and this has been a problem for far too long. 

“The North East deserves investment to resolve this for good and keep people safe – we all know it needs to be dualled and I'll continue to fight for what our region needs.”

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