A1 Junction in Northumberland: A 'Dangerous' Accident Waiting to Happen?
The A1 junction in Northumberland is a busy and increasingly popular route for drivers trying to avoid queues at bottlenecks on the A1. However, the leader of Northumberland County Council has called for urgent safety improvements at this notorious junction, which has become a rat run for drivers. The junction, located at Felton, is now a 'accident waiting to happen' due to its increasing traffic and the lack of lighting, especially during the darker nights.
The A1 is managed by National Highways, and the Government has previously pledged cash for safety improvements after the plan to dual the road between Morpeth and Ellingham fell through. The Labour Government scrapped plans to dual the A1 last year, deeming the plans poor value for money. However, the Government has pledged to bring in improvements at junctions on the single carriageway sections to allay safety concerns.
Since the start of 2020, there have been a total of 175 accidents on the single carriageway sections of the A1 in Northumberland, with five people killed and 41 accidents deemed serious. There have been two accidents close to the Felton junction in that period, both classed as 'slight'.
National Highways has been working closely with the council to consider safety improvements for Felton. A study, known as the route treatment study, is being carried out in two stages. The first phase covers the A1 between Morpeth and North Charlton, while the second phase covers North Charlton to the Scottish Border.
The leader of Northumberland County Council, Coun Glen Sanderson, believes the Felton junction should be top of the list for improvements. He said: 'The junction south of Felton is being used increasingly by traffic using the village as a rat run to avoid the bridge where the traffic goes to a single lane each way, which bunches into a long queue. With the dark nights coming and with increasing traffic, it is essential that the junction is lit properly. I have asked for this for years and always been told no. Now, National Highways have been given part of the massive saving the Government is making by not dualling the road. I want them to do this properly.'
The council is laying out new traffic calming measures through Felton and Thirston to try and stop traffic using them, but the A1 is maintained by National Highways. The spokesman for National Highways said: 'We are committed to making improvements to the A1 in Northumberland. Following a study undertaken earlier this year covering Felton and West Moor, we are now in the design phase and looking at which safety measures will deliver the greatest benefits.'
The controversy surrounding this issue lies in the fact that the Government has pledged to bring in improvements at junctions on the single carriageway sections to allay safety concerns, yet the lack of lighting at the Felton junction is still a major concern. The question remains: will National Highways take action to improve the safety of this junction, or will it remain an accident waiting to happen?
