§ Joyce QuinTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his current estimate is of the cost of making the A1 between Newcastle and Berwick fully-dualled. [186429]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe A1 Multi-Modal Study Report in May 2002 estimated the cost of dualling the A1 from Newcastle to the Scottish border to be £343 million at 2001 prices. However the report concluded that although the completion of dualling was necessary between Newcastle and Alnwick, wholesale dualling could not be justified in the foreseeable future.
The Highways Agency have not carried out a detailed costing. But on a pro rata basis from the 2001 estimate, I would expect the cost at current prices to exceed £375 million.