Road Safety on the A1

In a debate on road safety on the A1, Alicia Kearns, the Member of Parliament for Rutland and Stamford, highlighted the importance of this vital road that connects London and Edinburgh. She noted that the A1, also known as the Great North Road, has a long and storied history dating back to the Roman era, and is a crucial link for commerce, freight, and people. Kearns expressed concern over the proliferation of road accidents, including fatal ones, along the stretch of the A1 that runs through her constituency. She cited data showing that in 2022, there were 500 crashes on the A1, 26% more than on the A5 and 16% more than on the A2. Kearns argued that the dual carriageway between Peterborough and Blyth, which passes through Rutland and Stamford, has serious safety issues, including substandard central reservation crossings, junctions, and short slip lanes. Kearns called for urgent action, including a review of central reservation crossings, which she said was her top request to National Highways. She also proposed the introduction of a new road sign to warn drivers of short slip roads ahead, and changes to the funding formula used by National Highways to consider fatalities per capita rather than just total fatalities, to better reflect the needs of rural areas. In response, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Lilian Greenwood, acknowledged the importance of the A1 and the challenges it faces. Greenwood noted that the Government is committed to improving road safety and plans to publish a new road safety strategy. She also highlighted the significant investment in the strategic road network, including more than £23 billion between 2020 and 2025. Greenwood recognized the higher-than-average number of collisions and fatal collisions on the A1 between Peterborough and Blyth, and stated that National Highways continues to invest in safety improvements along this stretch of the road. The Minister also expressed her intention to ensure that her officials are informed of the outcomes of Kearns' upcoming meeting with National Highways representatives. In an intervention, Ruth Cadbury, the Member of Parliament for Brentford and Isleworth, emphasized the importance of addressing driver behaviour, in addition to physical changes to the road layout, to improve road safety. Cadbury also asked the Minister to consider incorporating active travel, such as walking and cycling, into the new road safety strategy. Overall, the debate highlighted the pressing need to address the safety concerns on the A1, particularly the stretch that runs through Kearns' constituency, and the government's commitment to improving road safety across the country.