MOTORING misery caused by the extensive and long-running roadworks on the A1 is set to ease as a six-mile stretch of the motorway is to reopen next week.

Highways England has announced that the first phase of the multi-million pound A1 upgrade in North Yorkshire will open to traffic on Friday, with motorists able to travel an uninterrupted six-miles between Leeming and Catterick for the first time in three-years.

The £380.3m upgrade project began in March 2014 and has caused frustration and disruption for countless motorists ever since – particularly the 15,000 drivers fined after being caught out by the 50mph average speed cameras along the roadworks route.

The project has also been beset by delays caused by complicated groundwork conditions, flooding and unexpected archaeological finds which led to the scheme – which should have been completed in June – being extended to the end of this year.

North Yorkshire County Council leader Carl Les has frequently voiced the frustration felt by residents, motorists and businesses affected by the roadworks and he is pleased that the disruption is finally coming to an end.

He said: "The overall encouraging thing is that we are now into the final few months of the project.

"If they are able to open things up we must be getting near now."

Cllr Les said that motorists should certainly feel the benefit of the re-opened stretch with less congestion due to the improved capacity of the new road.

"The improvement is very welcome, it is just a shame it seems to have taken a long time for this stretch," he said.

"I know from Dishforth up to Leeming they had very few problems, but they seem to have had their fair share of problems on this stretch, particularly around the Fort Bridge.

"All in all, I think we are all very frustrated in the Catterick area but very pleased that it is getting to the end of the project."

Once fully open, the upgrade will mean that journey times between Leeming and Barton will be reduced by around 20 per cent and Highways England project manager, Tom Howard, welcomed the completion of the first phase.

He said: “We are pleased to be able to open this section ahead of the main completion to give drivers the benefits of motorway standards as well as smoother and safer journeys

“This is an important milestone and means we are now halfway to completing this major scheme on this vitally important route.

“Over the autumn period our focus will be on the remainder of the project including completing the local access road between Scotch Corner and Brompton-on-Swale and opening the new Fort Bridge which will provide a new east/west link to Catterick for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.”

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the A1 project is a "big priority" for the Government and represents the latest stage in a broad-ranging investment plan for better transport in the north to cut congestion and journey times.

Once Fort Bridge is fully open by the middle of November, the next major milestones will be the opening of the motorway between Scotch Corner interchange and junction 56 at Barton, and between Catterick junction and Scotch Corner interchange.

An extension has been made to the planned completion date due to complicated ground conditions impacting on the method used to stabilise the embankment near the River Swale.

Highways England said it is working with contractors to resolve the issue as quickly as possible but a specific date as to when the overall scheme will be finished has not been given, only that it is expected to be this winter.