§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on the progress of his plans to upgrade the A1 road in Northumberland to dual carriageway standard, giving the timetable for dualling each section, and the target date for completion of dualling the English section;
(2) if he will make a statement on further schemes for dualling or improving overtaking opportunities on the A1 road north of Morpeth.
§ Mr. KeyTwo sections of dual carriageway have been completed and opened to traffic at Marshall Meadows and Brownieside this year. Two schemes to complete the432W dualling of the Alnwick bypass are in preparation and a scheme to complete the continuous dualling between Newcastle and north of Alnwick is in the road programme.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport announced a review of the road programme in August. Further progress on the upgrading of the A1 will depend on potential schemes meeting environmental, economic and safety objectives, the overall availability of resources, and the relative claims of potential schemes elsewhere in the county.
§ Mr. Ronnie CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding has been allocated to date in upgrading the A1 in Northumberland; and if he will make a statement on the progress.
§ Mr. KeySince 1970, in excess of £60 million at current prices has been spent on a comprehensive programme of upgrading the A1 in Northumberland. Currently there are three schemes in the programme valued at £25 million to complete the continuous dualling between Newcastle and north of Alnwick.
In addition two sections of dual carriageway have been completed and opened to traffic at Marshall Meadows and Brownieside this year.