On the 16th of September 2010, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, Mike Penning MP, announced the start of a consultation on amending the Strategic National Corridors in order to promote connectivity with the capital cities of the United Kingdom.
The Strategic National Corridors were identified in 2009 in order to recognise the strategic importance of routes linking the largest cities with the busiest ports and airports in England, and of links with Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The criteria defining the infrastructure contained in each corridor did not, however, specify the inclusion of links with Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast.
The proposed change would result in two routes being identified as having national significance: namely the A1 between its junction with the A19 north of Newcastle, and the Scottish border, providing a defined link to Edinburgh; and a route between Bootle and the Twelve Quays Ferry Terminal in Birkenhead, providing connectivity with Belfast. Routes linking the network with Cardiff were identified in 2009.
In his statement the Minister said:
“The Government believes that the routes linking Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast to the nearest urban strategic destination should be recognised for the strategic connectivity that they provide. For this reason I am today launching a consultation on proposals to change the definition, to explicitly include links with our capital cities.”
The consultation document, which sets out the rationale behind our proposals, and provides questions to guide you in responding to them, can be downloaded from the Department for Transport’s website, at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/sncconsultation
We are keen to hear from as many people as possible with a view on this subject, and are asking for feedback both on the criteria change itself, and on the roads we propose to identify as being of national significance. The consultation closes on 10th December 2010.
Alan Ferguson chairman and owner of Fergusons Transport Ltd one of the largest hauliers in the northeast of England fully supports the campaign to dual the A1 between Morpeth and Bewick.
Alan has been using the A1 between Blyth to Berwick for many years and is fed up with the lack of anything being done to improve it - despite the "horrendous" number of deaths on the route, below is list some of Alan’s arguments for the upgrade.