Chancellor confirms 'affordable' options being considered to improve A1 in Northumberland

However, Government officials have been unclear on what the options for the road may be.

A scheme to dual 13 miles of the road between Morpeth and Ellingham was scrapped in October with costs estimated at more than £500 million.

The previous Conservative Government had given the project the green light – but only after several delays.

Speaking on a visit to Gateshead, Chancellor Rachel Reeves admitted transport schemes in the north “have been neglected for too long”.

She added: “National Highways are looking at value for money, affordable options for the A1. The previous Government put no money into those schemes, despite trumpeting them.”

The Department for Transport and National Highways have been contacted for further information on the options described by the chancellor. Both departments declined to issue a statement.

A recent announcement that the North East Combined Authority (NECA) would receive £1.8 billion in transport funding has drawn the ire of the Conservative-led administration at Northumberland County Council after it was confirmed the money would not be used to dual the A1.

NECA bosses pointed out that the cash could not be used for the A1 due to the fact it is owned and maintained by National Highways.

Dualling the road has been the subject of a decades-long campaign in the North East, with concerns over road safety and congestion.

Responding to the Chancellor’s statement, council leader Glen Sanderson pointed out that traffic on the route had been brought to a halt yet again last week, leading to vehicles finding alternative routes through small villages.

He said: “Here we have more dithering and indecision – there is plenty of money for those Labour councils with elections next May, but Northumberland gets only lip service. Party politics should not come into decisions like this and she ought to hang her head in shame.

“On Sunday, like last week, the single carriageway parts of the A1 literally stopped. Traffic is going to find rat runs.

“I have already met Highways England about some of these and work is progressing, so there is nothing new in that.”

In November, council bosses met with National Highways officials to discuss increased levels of traffic using Felton as a rat-run to avoid tailbacks on the A1. It recorded 3,352 vehicles passing through on the August Bank Holiday last year, compared with 787 the following Wednesday when traffic had returned to normal.

In January, North Northumberland MP David Smith met with ministers to discuss ‘sensible’ improvements for the A1 – but insisted he would not ‘over promise’ following the scrapping of plans to dual the road.

Mr Smith also raised the issue in Parliament on Tuesday. Speaking during a debate led by fellow Northumberland MP Emma Foody on road improvements on the A19, Mr Smith stressed the importance of safety improvements on both routes.

He said: “As the Government make a massive investment in local transport, we really have to think about investing in key junctions up and down the A19 and the A1, so that we can improve road safety and efficiency for everyone concerned.”