The A1 north of
Newcastle to the Scottish border has been made a route of
strategic national importance following a consultation, Regional
and Local Transport Minister Norman Baker announced today.
The move sees approximately sixty-five miles of the A1 join a key
list of nationally important roads.
It is part of the Government's move to ensure the
economic importance of routes from England to the capital cities
of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are properly recognised.
A number of roads linking Bootle with Twelve Quays Ferry Terminal
in Birkenhead, Merseyside, will also become a route of strategic
national importance. This is because it is the main passenger and
freight ferry terminal for traffic travelling between Liverpool
and Belfast.
Norman Baker said:
"The important changes I am announcing today will ensure
the economic importance of routes from England to Edinburgh,
Belfast and Cardiff are properly recognised.
"The changes are of particular significance for the A1
north of Newcastle where campaigners have long fought to have the
route recognised as being of national importance.
"While it does not guarantee funding - any proposed
upgrade would need to be subject to the usual decision making
processes - it finally recognises the road's importance
for freight and other strategic traffic travelling between
Newcastle and Edinburgh."
In 2009 fourteen Strategic National Corridors (SNCs) were
identified by the Department for Transport - recognising the
economic importance of road and rail routes linking the largest
English cities with the busiest ports and airports in England.
However, the criteria set out at that time did not specify that
key road and rail routes providing links between Newcastle and
Edinburgh, Liverpool and Belfast or Bristol and Cardiff should be included.
In practice Cardiff is linked to Bristol via the M4 and M48,
which are already recognised as routes of strategic national
importance. But Edinburgh and services to Belfast were unconnected
to SNCs by road, and today’s changes rectify this.
A number of other changes to the SNCs were proposed by
consultation respondents, including extensions to the SNCs which
would affect Norfolk, Devon and Kent. Ministers will not make a
final decision on the scope and role of the SNCs until the Local
Enterprise Partnerships - and their role in transport decision
making - are fully established.
Notes to Editors
1. A Written Ministerial Statement was published today. This can
be found at: www.dft.gov.uk/press/speechesstatements/statements/baker20110523
2. The consultation closed on Friday 10th December. In total 63
responses were sent directly to the Department. Consultation
documents can be found at the Department for Transport’s website,
at http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/closed/2010-33/
3. As a result of the changes two additional routes will be
recognised in future as being of national strategic importance:
4. The A1 north of Newcastle - between its junction with the A19
at Seaton Burn - to the Scottish border (providing a defined link
to Edinburgh);
5. Approximately nine miles of Local Authority controlled roads
between Bootle and Twelve Quays Ferry Terminal in Birkenhead,
including part of the A565 and the Kingsway Tunnel (providing
connectivity with Belfast).
6. The full route is as follows:
A565 from junction with A5036 in Bootle to A5063 "Leeds
Street"; then
A5063 "Leeds Street" from junction with A565 to
A59 "Scotland Road"; then
A59 "Scotland Road" to "Kingsway
Tunnel"; then "Kingsway Tunnel" to
grade separated junction with A5027; then
A5027 to junction with A5139; then
A5139 to A554; then
A554 to Twelve Quays Terminal entrance.
7. The A1 north of Newcastle is currently a Highways Agency (HA)
'regional' road. It will now become a HA
'national' road, and this will be taken into
account in decision-making and planning from this point forward.
8. The route identified in Merseyside will not be added to the
trunk road network. Responsibility for day-to-day operational
decisions, maintenance and improvement will remain with the
relevant local Highway Authorities (either Sefton, Liverpool or
Wirral councils, or for the Kingsway Tunnel, Merseytravel). The
Secretary of State will, however, maintain a watching interest in
the route and its effectiveness in providing strategic
connectivity.
9. A number of proposals for changing the scope of the SNCs were
received. These included requests that they be extended to
Plymouth and Norwich, and that a second SNC be extended to Dover.
The Department intends to revisit the scope of the SNCs, as well
as their exact role in decision-making, once the Local Enterprise
Partnerships are fully established and their role in transport
decision-making is clear.
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