Chancellor announces A1 upgrade to be completed

1:24pm Wednesday 5th December 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Joe Willis, Regional Chief Reporter

THE Chancellor has announced plans to complete the £300m upgrade of the A1 after the project was scrapped in 2010 to cut costs.

It means a 12-mile stretch of the A1 between Leeming Bar and Barton in North Yorkshire will be upgraded to motorway. Work could start as earkly as next year.

The stretch, known as the missing link, was due to be improved along with the road between Dishforth and Leeming Bar, but only the upgrade of the southern section went ahead.

The announcement, made by George Osborne to Parliament in his autumn statement, was described as “brilliant news” by North Yorkshire county councillor Carl Les, who has been campaigning for the upgrade to be completed.

He said: “It will greatly improve the economic performance of the North of England and Yorkshire.

“It's also very good news for the local communities on either side of the A1.”

The decision to cancel the upgrade was criticised in November last year by North Yorkshire Coroner Michael Oakley at the inquest of elderly couple, William and Dorothy Pritchard, who died after they tried to cross the A1 near Catterick Garrison through a gap in the central reservation.

The upgrade will mean there is continuous motorway from London to Newcastle.

Comments (16)

1:36pm Wed 5 Dec 12

spragger says...

Excellent News! Well done George
Along with all the investment in Catterick Camp it means this often forgotten part of North Yorkshire will be buoyant.

Jobs, employment and a safer access to the North.
Well done!
Excellent News! Well done George Along with all the investment in Catterick Camp it means this often forgotten part of North Yorkshire will be buoyant. Jobs, employment and a safer access to the North. Well done! spragger

2:56pm Wed 5 Dec 12

David Lacey says...

Not before time. And the money has been found at a time of great financial difficulty. Sad that 18 years of Tories and 13 years of Labour couldn't do the job, but a Coalition can do it in 30 months.
Not before time. And the money has been found at a time of great financial difficulty. Sad that 18 years of Tories and 13 years of Labour couldn't do the job, but a Coalition can do it in 30 months. David Lacey

3:27pm Wed 5 Dec 12

outragedofmiltonkeynes says...

Id be happy if people learnt how to drive in the motorway. Id be even happier if dickheads who sit in the middle or outside lanes for no apparent reason for mile after mile were fined and had their licences endorsed.
Id be happy if people learnt how to drive in the motorway. Id be even happier if dickheads who sit in the middle or outside lanes for no apparent reason for mile after mile were fined and had their licences endorsed. outragedofmiltonkeynes

3:38pm Wed 5 Dec 12

stevegg says...

'The upgrade will mean there is continuous motorway from London to Newcastle'. There has been a motorway from London to Newcastle for over 30 years, its just that it has been 2 lanes until recently. It will still be 2 lanes from Scotch Corner to Newcastle even after this stretch is completed.
'The upgrade will mean there is continuous motorway from London to Newcastle'. There has been a motorway from London to Newcastle for over 30 years, its just that it has been 2 lanes until recently. It will still be 2 lanes from Scotch Corner to Newcastle even after this stretch is completed. stevegg

3:46pm Wed 5 Dec 12

joedarlo45 says...

Great News....but..erm...w
hen??
Great News....but..erm...w hen?? joedarlo45

4:01pm Wed 5 Dec 12

garethhowell says...

It's only a minor point, but even with this new bit of road, there's still not motorway all the way. There's a big stretch of dual carriageway from Baldock to Huntingdon that also includes four roundabouts: including the Black Cat.
It's only a minor point, but even with this new bit of road, there's still not motorway all the way. There's a big stretch of dual carriageway from Baldock to Huntingdon that also includes four roundabouts: including the Black Cat. garethhowell

4:49pm Wed 5 Dec 12

is thesunabovetheyardarm says...

re garethhowell . There is motorway all the way. It's called the M1. And stevegg is wrong about there being motorway for the past 30 years. It has been a dual carriageway for much of its length north of Peterborough.
Despite those minor errors, this is still great news!
re garethhowell . There is motorway all the way. It's called the M1. And stevegg is wrong about there being motorway for the past 30 years. It has been a dual carriageway for much of its length north of Peterborough. Despite those minor errors, this is still great news! is thesunabovetheyardarm

5:35pm Wed 5 Dec 12

ajtib3 says...

Odd that some like David Lacey are congratulating the coalition for going ahead with this upgrade when it was Osborne who cancelled the existing project in 2010 as part of government spending cuts.

In effect this is yet another U-turn by this useless chancellor. If these sort of projects had not been cut in 2010 there may have been more prospect of growth in the economy and less likelihood of the second-dip (and third-dip to come) recession.
Odd that some like David Lacey are congratulating the coalition for going ahead with this upgrade when it was Osborne who cancelled the existing project in 2010 as part of government spending cuts. In effect this is yet another U-turn by this useless chancellor. If these sort of projects had not been cut in 2010 there may have been more prospect of growth in the economy and less likelihood of the second-dip (and third-dip to come) recession. ajtib3

6:02pm Wed 5 Dec 12

David Lacey says...

They found the money and changed their minds, only a complete and utter fool would find something to complain about here.
They found the money and changed their minds, only a complete and utter fool would find something to complain about here. David Lacey

6:22pm Wed 5 Dec 12

ajtib3 says...

David Lacey wrote:
They found the money and changed their minds, only a complete and utter fool would find something to complain about here.
You do make me laugh, David!
[quote][p][bold]David Lacey[/bold] wrote: They found the money and changed their minds, only a complete and utter fool would find something to complain about here.[/p][/quote]You do make me laugh, David! ajtib3

7:39pm Wed 5 Dec 12

spragger says...

Some are never satisfied .. and never will be ..
Some are never satisfied .. and never will be .. spragger

8:47pm Wed 5 Dec 12

Kilma- says...

its about time!

next up should be an upgrade to the western bypass
its about time! next up should be an upgrade to the western bypass Kilma-

9:05pm Wed 5 Dec 12

ajtib3 says...

spragger wrote:
Some are never satisfied .. and never will be ..
For the benefit of business in the NE this should have been done years ago. However, it was Osborne who abandoned it when it could have been done by now. That was a mistake.

In effect all he has done today is admit it - it shows how little he knew about generating growth in the economy.

If this was his only mistake and he's rectified it you could give him some credit - but sadly his whole economic policy has been shown to be a mess and these belated attempts to boost growth now are too little too late.
[quote][p][bold]spragger[/bold] wrote: Some are never satisfied .. and never will be ..[/p][/quote]For the benefit of business in the NE this should have been done years ago. However, it was Osborne who abandoned it when it could have been done by now. That was a mistake. In effect all he has done today is admit it - it shows how little he knew about generating growth in the economy. If this was his only mistake and he's rectified it you could give him some credit - but sadly his whole economic policy has been shown to be a mess and these belated attempts to boost growth now are too little too late. ajtib3

3:09pm Thu 6 Dec 12

johnny_p says...

Love the negative comments from Labourites! They just love a good moan whatever this government does.........
Love the negative comments from Labourites! They just love a good moan whatever this government does......... johnny_p

3:11pm Thu 6 Dec 12

johnny_p says...

ajtib3 wrote:
spragger wrote:
Some are never satisfied .. and never will be ..
For the benefit of business in the NE this should have been done years ago. However, it was Osborne who abandoned it when it could have been done by now. That was a mistake.

In effect all he has done today is admit it - it shows how little he knew about generating growth in the economy.

If this was his only mistake and he's rectified it you could give him some credit - but sadly his whole economic policy has been shown to be a mess and these belated attempts to boost growth now are too little too late.
So if "it should have been done years ago" why didn't Labour do it?

Hysterical!
[quote][p][bold]ajtib3[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]spragger[/bold] wrote: Some are never satisfied .. and never will be ..[/p][/quote]For the benefit of business in the NE this should have been done years ago. However, it was Osborne who abandoned it when it could have been done by now. That was a mistake. In effect all he has done today is admit it - it shows how little he knew about generating growth in the economy. If this was his only mistake and he's rectified it you could give him some credit - but sadly his whole economic policy has been shown to be a mess and these belated attempts to boost growth now are too little too late.[/p][/quote]So if "it should have been done years ago" why didn't Labour do it? Hysterical! johnny_p

3:58pm Thu 6 Dec 12

ajtib3 says...

johnny_p wrote:
ajtib3 wrote:
spragger wrote:
Some are never satisfied .. and never will be ..
For the benefit of business in the NE this should have been done years ago. However, it was Osborne who abandoned it when it could have been done by now. That was a mistake.

In effect all he has done today is admit it - it shows how little he knew about generating growth in the economy.

If this was his only mistake and he's rectified it you could give him some credit - but sadly his whole economic policy has been shown to be a mess and these belated attempts to boost growth now are too little too late.
So if "it should have been done years ago" why didn't Labour do it?

Hysterical!
If Labour weren't doing it how could Osborne cancel it in 2010? - give your head a shake!
[quote][p][bold]johnny_p[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]ajtib3[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]spragger[/bold] wrote: Some are never satisfied .. and never will be ..[/p][/quote]For the benefit of business in the NE this should have been done years ago. However, it was Osborne who abandoned it when it could have been done by now. That was a mistake. In effect all he has done today is admit it - it shows how little he knew about generating growth in the economy. If this was his only mistake and he's rectified it you could give him some credit - but sadly his whole economic policy has been shown to be a mess and these belated attempts to boost growth now are too little too late.[/p][/quote]So if "it should have been done years ago" why didn't Labour do it? Hysterical![/p][/quote]If Labour weren't doing it how could Osborne cancel it in 2010? - give your head a shake! ajtib3

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