Fresh Calls for A1 Dualling in Northumberland After Holiday Traffic Congestion

Residents and businesses in Northumberland are once again urging the government to dual more sections of the A1 after severe bank holiday congestion caused long delays along the route.

Traffic queues built up on stretches of the road where the A1 narrows to single carriageway, reigniting long-running concerns over safety, capacity and reliability on one of the region’s key transport corridors.

Local frustration over ongoing delays

Communities near the affected sections say congestion during busy travel periods has become increasingly disruptive for both residents and visitors.

Longframlington business owner Trudy Long said heavy traffic on bank holidays is now so predictable that locals often avoid travelling altogether during peak periods.

She also pointed to recent accidents on the route as evidence that further dualling improvements are needed to improve safety and traffic flow.

Concerns over overtaking and HGV traffic

Local workers and residents described the mix of slow-moving vehicles, heavy goods traffic and overtaking manoeuvres on single carriageway sections as a persistent issue.

Carr’s Corner employee Thomas Fox said large lorries passing through villages are a daily occurrence and suggested that driver frustration often leads to risky overtaking behaviour, particularly near Morpeth.

He argued that dualling sections of the route would help reduce congestion and improve road safety for all users.

Government previously cancelled upgrade plans

The renewed calls follow the government’s decision in October 2024 to cancel plans to dual approximately 13 miles of the A1 north of Ellington.

At the time, the scheme was estimated to cost more than £500m and was ultimately judged by ministers to offer insufficient value for money.

Instead of progressing with full dualling, National Highways committed to investigating alternative safety and congestion improvement measures along the remaining single carriageway sections.

National Highways reviewing alternatives

The Department for Transport said difficult decisions had been required due to wider funding pressures inherited by the current government.

A spokesperson confirmed that National Highways is continuing to explore options aimed at improving both safety and traffic conditions along the route.

The A1 through Northumberland has been the subject of debate for decades, with campaigners arguing that incomplete dualling restricts economic growth, increases journey times and creates avoidable safety risks on a nationally important route.