HC Deb 09 May 2002 vol 385 cc296-7W
Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what work is planned on the Al between Newcastle and Edinburgh; [54606]

(2) what major infrastructure work has been carried out on the Al between Newcastle and Edinburgh in the last 15 years; and in each case (a) what the aim and nature of the works were, (b) which Government body was responsible, (c) how long the works took and (d) how much the works cost; [54605]

(3) what recent analysis has been carried out into alternative routes for traffic using the Al between Newcastle and Edinburgh. [54608]

Mr. Byers

I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from David York to Mrs. Theresa May, dated 9 May 2002: Tim Matthews has been asked by the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the A1 between Newcastle and Edinburgh. I am replying since Tim is currently away on Highways Agency business. The Highways Agency has responsibility for this route between Newcastle and the Scottish Border. Works currently planned by us for that length of the road include improvements to the A1 Stannington Grade Separated Junction and widening the Newcastle Western Bypass to take account of planning conditions imposed on development at Newcastle Great Park. The latter scheme is funded wholly by the developer. In addition, we will be carrying out maintenance work including resurfacing north of Morpeth, improving the Seven Mile Bridge north of Seaton Burn and repainting Clifton Bridge at the south end of Morpeth Bypass. The Government Office led Al Multi-Modal study is looking at alternatives to the Al. The study is expected to report very shortly. A number of works have been carried out on this length of road over the last 15 years. Prior to 1994 schemes were handled by the Department of Transport. Since 1994 the Highways Agency has been responsible. A list of those works is attached.

Aim and nature of scheme Duration (if known) Cost (if known) (£)
A1 Stannington Diversion (Clifton to Stannington Bridge)—dual carriageway bypass of Stannington Village 2 years 6.4 million
A1 South of Alnwick—upgrading to dual carriageway 7 months 0.8 million
A1 Newcastle Western Bypass—6.9 miles of dual carriageway with grade separated junctions 4 years 116.3 million
A1 Marshall Meadows Improvement—1.7 miles upgrade to dual carriageway 15 months 4.1 million
A1 Brownieside Improvement—dual carriageway bypass 17 months 5.5 million
A1 Blagdon Bridge—new overbridge and grade separated junction 10 months 1.4 million
A1 Hitchcroft to Cawledge—upgrade to dual carriageway 15 months 2.8 million
A1 Felton to Lanehead—upgrade to dual carriageway 9 months 2.3 million
A1 Willowburn to Denwick—upgrade to dual carriageways (currently on site) Under construction 8 million
A1 Newcastle Great Park—Brunton Interchange improvements1 9 months 800,000
1The scheme at Newcastle Great Park is being funded by a private developer. All other schemes have been funded by central Government.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the increase in traffic on the Al between Newcastle and Edinburgh over the lifetime of the 10-year plan. [54609]

Mr. Byers

The 10-year plan applies to England. As part of the work carried out in connection with the A1 multi-modal study, consultants have assessed potential traffic growth on the A1 between Newcastle and the Scottish border just north of Berwick on Tweed.

Flows on the Al are currently:

  • New Morpeth—16,200 vehicles per day
  • Alnwick to Berwick on Tweed—8,600 vehicles per day.

Estimates show that in 2011 flows on the A1 are expected to be in the region of:

  • New Morpeth—19,100 vehicles per day
  • Alnwick to Berwick on Tweed—10,100 vehicles per day.

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