A1: £67m spent on project before go ahead is given

More than £67m has been spent on a scheme to expand part of the A1 even though it is yet to be signed off.

Plans to dual the 13-mile (20km) section of road between Morpeth and Ellingham in Northumberland have already been stalled three times.

The government says it will decide in September if the project will go ahead.

Campaigners have called for the widening of the road between Newcastle and Edinburgh for decades and decisions have been promised for years.

In Northumberland, 42 miles of the A1 are still single carriageway and local politicians have consistently highlighted that many people have no realistic alternative route of travel.

The £67m figure was revealed in a Freedom of Information request made by BBC Radio Newcastle to National Highways.

In a statement, the government-owned agency said the money so far had been spent on the detailed designs, the application for a Development Consent Order - which is needed to allow the project to go ahead - advanced construction work and the purchase of land and properties.

One man whose family farm was bought to make way for project said he was "disgusted" at the amount of money spent.

Martin Beal's family had lived at Charlton Mires since 1904 but their home was bought by National Highways as part of advanced planning needed for the project.

The situation has left the Beals in a state of uncertainty as they can not get planning permission to build a new property until their old one is demolished, and with a decision still seven months away they fear the project might not happen.

"It's quite disgusting that they've spent all that money and there's still doubt that it's going to go ahead," Mr Beal said.

"We're living in limbo trying to work round what might or might not happen."

Under the dualling plans the A1 will cut diagonally through Peter Hogg's land, running close to his farmhouse and the wood he planted 15 years ago when the proposals were first mooted.

An overhead bridge across his farm is also part of the design.

Mr Hogg, whose family have farmed at Causey Park since 1854, said: "They've already done quite a bit of work on the farm and they moved a big pipe but I think £67m will come as a shock to most people.

"Having spent so much, you'd think they'd really just want to get on with it."

In December, the Department of Transport said the scheme had been delayed for "consideration of environmental matters".

The campaign has recently been led by Conservative MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed Anne-Marie Trevelyan who believes the scheme should be "considered a top spending priority" and vowed to "not stop making that case at every level" after planning consent was delayed.

She said: "I am deeply disappointed with that decision and have made those feelings plain to the transport secretary.

"He is under no illusions how frustrated I am with this situation and how much the scheme will benefit our region. I continue to push my colleagues at the highest possible level."

National Highways regional delivery director Tim Gammon said: "The development consent order (DCO) decision is due by 5 September 2023.

"We stand ready to deliver these improvements, subject to receiving a positive decision on the DCO and authorisation to proceed to construction."

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