Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

The Project

The existing A1 is an all-purpose two lane dual carriageway carrying in the region of 45-54,000 vehicles per day with approximately one-quarter being heavy goods vehicles. The route generally follows the 'Dere Street' Roman Road except for deviations at Leeming and Catterick. Constructed in the 1950's and early 60's, the existing A1 fails to meet present day standards for layout and alignment. There are a high number of sub-standard accesses, central reserve crossings and local road junctions. Slow moving agricultural vehicles use the route to enter and exit farms and fi elds adjoining the A1. The route has a poor accident record with continuing safety, congestion and journey time reliability problems.

The objectives of the proposed improvement are to reduce current high levels of accidents, congestion and enhance journey time reliability by upgrading the existing A1 to dual 3-lane motorway standard. The proposal is generally on the line of the existing road with a localised off-line section at Catterick South, to the west of Bainesse Farm. Motorway junctions are proposed at Dishforth, Baldersby (A61), Leeming, Catterick Central, Scotch Corner (A66) and Barton.

Other crossing points for all users, over or under the motorway, are proposed at:

• Rainton (existing bridge)
• Sinderby
• Street Lane
• Burneston Hargill (Oak Tree Underpass)
• Gatenby Lane (existing bridge)
• Londonderry
• Bedale/Northallerton Road (A684)
• Tickergate Lane
• Catterick Lane/Tunstall Road
• Catterick Road (A6136)
• Brompton South Bridge
• Brompton North Bridge (Station Road)
• Catterick North Bridge

A Local Access Road will be provided where appropriate to meet the needs of local and non-motorway traffic. Care has been taken to meet the needs of equestrians, cyclists, pedestrians and public transport, both local and long distance.

On the 31 March 2008, the Secretary of State for Transport, Ruth Kelly, gave her approval for the Highways Agency (HA) to upgrade 24 miles of the A1 dual carriageway to three-lane motorway standard.

A copy of the Inspector's Report and the Secretary of State's Decision Letter can be found at:

• http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/network/strategic/programme/decisionletters/a1dishforth/

Orders

Line, Side Road, Detrunking and Appropriation Orders were made on 18th August 2008.

Compulsory Purchase Orders were made on 15th September 2008

The Line and Appropriation Orders are for A1 Dishforth to Barton, however the Side Road Orders and Compulsory Purchase Orders are for the Dishforth to Leeming phase.  The Side Road Orders and Compulsory Purchase Orders for the Northern phase (Leeming to Barton) are being reassessed in line with the recommendations from the Inspector's Report and we hope to come forward with our proposals in 2010.

If you require further information please e-mail james.holmes@highways.gsi.gov.uk telephone number 0113 283 6220.

The Secretary of State also announced that the scheme would be delivered in two phases. Construction of the Southern Section (Dishforth to Leeming) would commence first with construction in the North Section (Leeming to Barton) expected to follow in 2014.

Current Position

Following publication of the Made Orders, the southern section of the scheme moved into the Construction Phase. Work started on 30 March and is due to take 3 years to complete. Some advance works were undertaken in February and March to clear the site of vegetation and to avoid nesting birds delaying the start of works.

Further details about the southern section can be found by following the link found below. This is where updates on works progress and traffic management information can be found.

• Dishforth to Leeming