Plans for future of major route

One of the aims of the strategy is to ease congestion

Plans to reduce congestion and journey times and improve safety on the A1 have been published.

The Highways Agency has prepared a 10-year strategy for the road between Blyth, in Nottinghamshire, and the north-east of England.

It includes the views of local people and organisations collected during a three-month consultation period.

The plans for the 118-mile route will go on display for public viewing at libraries along the route.

The strategy sets out how the A1 will be operated, maintained and improved.

'Useful solutions'

Among the suggested improvements are reducing the environmental impact on local communities by laying low-noise surfacing, installing fencing and adding more vegetation to screen the road.

It plans to reduce congestion by improving junctions, improve signs and provide better information to drivers by using messages on signs.

It also aims to reduce delays to emergency service by providing hard shoulders on non-motorway sections.

Highways Agency project manager Keith Gorst said: "Local people often provide very useful solutions to problems on the road and we took these into account when preparing the strategy.

"The Route Management Strategy has been developed in consultation with various public bodies and members of the public who regularly use and are affected by this important strategic route."