A1 Northumberland dualling decision delayed by nine months

The government has delayed a decision over dualling the A1 in Northumberland for a further nine months.

A new deadline to approve expansion of a 13-mile (20km) stretch between Morpeth and Ellingham has been set for 5 June 2024, it said.

The Department for Transport said it would allow time to consider "any matters relevant" to the application.

Labour MP Ian Lavery said it was "beyond parody" that a decision had been pushed back for a fourth time.

The scheme was first raised 15 years ago and a decision had been due to be made by Tuesday.

Glenn Sanderson, Conservative leader of Northumberland County Council, said he was "obviously disappointed" but also "quite surprised".

"This is a road now that every day looks more and more like a road from the 1950s when we need a road for today," he added.

When challenged by BBC Look North that his party had not lived up to their promises, he said: "No-one should ever break a promise, especially politicians, there's no question about that.

"I think probably they will need to be held to account and I will certainly be making sure that the voices of the people that are disappointed in Northumberland today are clearly transmitted to the secretary of state."

Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the Conservative MP for Berwick who was transport secretary for 49 days in Liz Truss' government, said there was "real disappointment that today's further delay means that dualling won't happen as quickly as we all need and want it to".

She added: "None of this is great. Today's road is a hazard, the distance to our nearest A&E makes dualling the A1 a matter of life or death and, of course, dualling is essential for our economic development in North Northumberland.

"All the same, I'm hopeful too - strategic and local road investment remains a manifesto commitment and, unlike some projects, it isn't being cancelled, or delayed until 2030."

Mr Lavery, whose Wansbeck constituency includes Morpeth, called on the government to "get on with it".

"That the government still won't commit to this essential and long-delayed project sums up just how much of a farce levelling up has become," he said.

"We are talking about adding a second lane to a mere 13-mile stretch on the country's main road."

Councillor Martin Gannon, chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee and the Labour leader of Gateshead Council, said the delay "did not come as much of a surprise following a frustratingly drawn-out process".

Local councillors have previously expressed concerns the scheme would be dropped by the government.

Residents have also described being "exhausted" by the uncertainty around the expansion plans.

Amanda and Martin Beals' farmhouse will have to be demolished if consent is finally granted.

They told the BBC the threat of being given two months' notice to vacate their home had made their lives "impossible".

Earlier this year it was revealed more than £67m had been spent without the scheme being signed off.

Government agency National Highways said the money had paid for 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.

In the last four years, there have been 129 accidents on single-carriageway sections of the road, a Freedom of Information request revealed.

Thirty-two of those accidents were "serious" and five resulted in deaths.

In Northumberland, 42 miles of the A1 are still single carriageway.

Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].