Highways Agency

A1 Morpeth to Felton Dualling

Public Consultation

Introduction

The Highways Agency is proposing to upgrade the 13 kilometre section of single carriageway on the A1 between Morpeth and Felton to dual, two lane carriageway.

This document explains what is being proposed and briefly describes the two route options for the Scheme.

The purpose of this consultation was to obtain the views and comments of organisations and individuals likely to be affected by the proposals, before Ministers decide on the preferred route. Public Consultation was completed in December 2004. Consultation leaflets were widely distributed and exhibitions were held in Morpeth and Felton in September 2004.

Background

The A1 is the main route for strategic traffic between England and Scotland on the eastern side of the country. The section north of Newcastle is an important route for local traffic and provides access to the wider rural area.

It also gives direct access to fields, farms and other adjacent properties.

This section of the A1 carries an average of 16,750 vehicles each day, with 13% heavy vehicles. In the five year period to the end of December 2003, there were forty-nine personal injury accidents.

Following a wide ranging examination of transport and travel in the trunk road corridor carried out as part of the A1 Multi Modal Study, the Secretary of State for Transport confirmed that the 13 kilometre section of existing single carriageway between Morpeth and Felton would be upgraded to dual, two lane carriageway.

The purpose of the dual carriageway is to improve road safety and increase reliability. By linking the existing Morpeth Bypass with the Felton Bypass, the Scheme would complete the provision of a dual carriageway between Tyneside and Alnwick.

Purpose of Public Consultation

A number of alternative routes for a dual carriageway have been investigated and two feasible options have been identified. The views of local people and those who might be affected by the scheme have now been sought and you were asked to help identify the way forward by completing the questionnaire. Alternatively, there were exhibitions in Morpeth or West Thirston to discuss the proposals with Highways Agency staff and the consultants undertaking the design of the Scheme.

Route Options

A study of existing conditions in the A1 corridor identified several potential routes for a dual carriageway. These were examined in terms of highway engineering, environmental impacts, construction costs and the disruption to local people and traffic during construction.

On this basis, two routes were selected for further study and these are shown on the plan. Both routes link the existing Morpeth Bypass dual carriageway at the A697 junction with the existing Felton Bypass. Both routes will include a new bridge to carry the southbound carriageway over the valley of the River Coquet. The existing bridge will be retained for northbound traffic.

It is currently planned to provide junctions on the dual carriageway close to Hebron, Fenrother, Causey Park Bridge, Burgham and West Moor.

The BLUE Route mainly follows the line of the existing A1, although it has some local, 'off-line' sections to reduce the impact of the road on existing properties.

The estimated full cost of this option is £81.75 million.

The GREEN Route also follows the line of the existing A1 over its southern and northern sections. The six kilometre central section runs to the west up to 600 metres from the existing road. The estimated full cost of this option is £80.31 million.

The BLUE Route would intrude less into open countryside but is likely to have a greater impact on agriculture. The GREEN Route would cause less disruption during construction and would improve noise and air quality at most of the existing properties on the A1.

In March 2005 Roads Minister David Jamieson announced the GREEN as the Preferred Route for the dual carriageway.

Typical Cross Sections

The road would be a dual two lane carriageway with a 2.5 metre central reserve for most of its length and a 2.5 metre grass verge on either side. Appropriate measures to mitigate the visual impact of the road, such as landscaping and planting, would be included and opportunities to maintain and enhance wildlife habitats would be identified and would form part of the Scheme.

The dual carriageway would not be lit, although lighting may be installed at some junctions.