Minister rejects A1 upgrade calls

Hauliers have reacted with anger after the government rejected renewed calls to widen the A1 north of Newcastle.

Roads Minister Tom Harris has told the House of Commons that the route does not meet the funding criteria needed to pay for an upgrade.

Campaigners want the road to be a dual carriageway to improve economic links to Scotland and cut road deaths.

One Northumberland-based haulage firm claims slow speeds on the road are costing it up to £1m in extra business.

Alan Ferguson, of Fergusons Transport Ltd based in Blyth, said: "If the A1 was dualled the trucks could go at 50mph and not 40mph, which they are restricted to on the single carriageway.

"A lot of lorries use the A697 as an alternative as it is easier to overtake, but this route passes through towns, causing problems for people who live there.

"We are turning down orders purely because of the condition of the A1."

The majority of the A1 north of Newcastle is single carriageway, apart from a 10 mile (16.1km) stretch between Felton to Alnwick.

The roads minister was responding to a question by Liberal Democrat MP for Berwick, Sir Alan Beith on Tuesday.