During Business Questions to the Leader of the House Alicia Kearns MP urged for a Parliamentary debate to discuss the urgent safety upgrades needed on the A1 and when the next review of A-roads under consideration for upgrade to motorways will take place.
The Leader of the House confirmed that the next draft of the Roads Investment Strategy, covering the period 2025 to 2030, will be published shortly and confirmed the Minister for Roads will meet Alicia to discuss concerns on the A1.
Alicia has launched an A1 survey encouraging residents to share their views on how the A1 can be made safer.
Survey results from Transport for East Midlands found that more than 60% of 1,000 drivers of the A1 surveyed felt unsafe travelling on the A1, with nearly half reporting either being in an accident on the road themselves, or knowing someone who had been.
In 2022, statistics from the Department for Transport show there were 538 collisions on the A1. This is 26% more than the A5 and 16% more than the A2.
Alicia Kearns, Member of Parliament for Rutland and Melton, said:
“The A1 is failing us as a critical artery for our country and a critical piece of national infrastructure. I am relieved to see the safety upgrades in place at five points along the A1 which I secured with the support of colleagues last year, however over the next few decades we will need many more improvements.
“Further urgent safety improvements must focus on the closure of substandard junctions, the provision of a concrete central barrier and better active traffic management. We must also focus on upgrading the safety technology along the A1, including CCTV and SOS telephones, helping those in danger to get the urgent help they need.
“In the long-term, there is only one meaningful solution: to upgrade this section of the A1 to a three-lane motorway standard, but I want to hear residents’ views on this.
“I am pleased to have secured a meeting with the Minister for Roads to highlight our community’s concerns and discuss the long-term improvements needed.”
