Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 7 February (HL Deb, col 1592), when Highways England will update their website, confirming that the programme to dual the A1 between the north-east and the Scottish border will commence in 2020.

Highways England is currently developing proposals to deliver the A1 Morpeth to Ellingham dualling schemes and A1 North of Ellingham enhancements announced in accordance with the first Road Investment Strategy (RIS).

I can confirm that these dualling schemes are expected to commence in 2020, subject to completing the necessary statutory planning processes. Works on the enhancements north of Ellingham are expected to commence in 2018.

Updates to the website to reflect this are being planned and will be implemented in due course. The proposed start of works dates for these schemes are currently shown in the summary section of the scheme web page. The header box will be reformatted to show the proposed start dates for the two schemes more clearly.

Full dualling of the A1 from Ellingham in the north-east to Berwick at the Scottish border is not within the scope of the A1 in Northumberland project being delivered by Highways England as part of the first RIS. The Government is looking ahead to develop RIS 2 which will cover investments beyond 2020. Any further proposals for the A1 would be considered as part of this work.