Police boss issues A1 in Northumberland safety plea after 11th fatal crash of year

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Susan Dungworth warned that “we need to do something” to improve the A1’s appalling safety record.

It comes after Erin Bennett, 22, from Cramlington, died following a three-vehicle crash near Felton, the 11th person killed on the A1 in Northumberland this year.

Mrs Dungworth said that 2026 had been “a really, really bad year this year with the number of road deaths we have had” across the North East.

A report she presented said that local authorities and National Highways are working on plans “regarding signage, deployment plans and potential camera solutions to reduce casualties and improve driver compliance” on the A1.

The PCC told a Police and Crime Panel meeting: “There is a meeting set up that has been asked for by the chief constable around the A1 and looking at what could be put in place to improve the situation. While there is a campaign for several of those roads to be dualled, even if the decision is taken to dual those roads it will take some time.

“In the meantime, we need to do something that improves the safety on those roads. I think the force will say that, still, the majority of accidents, fatal or otherwise, are caused by the ‘big five’ – which is drugs and alcohol, mobile phone use, not wearing seatbelts, speed, and age. Not especially young people, a lot are caused by older people who are maybe not as quick with their reflexes – but it is both ends of the spectrum.

“We are aware that accidents are generally caused by human error and what we need to do is try to put things in place that reduce the likelihood of that human error happening.”

The panel heard that the Northumbria Road Safety Partnership was still in the process of commissioning new digital speed cameras for use around the region.

However, Northumberland County Council leader Glen Sanderson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that speed cameras were “not the answer” to the A1’s problems.

The Conservative councillor said: “It is just an added extra that perhaps won’t have very much impact because so many of the crashes that happen are not speed related.

"They are related to frustration for drivers and the confusion that going from the dual carriageway into a single carriageway and back again causes to most drivers, because it is highly unusual to have such a ridiculous road setup on what is not only a main road – never mind the main road between two countries.”

Cllr Sanderson did say, however, that the county council wants to use speed cameras to improve safety on the A697.

Mrs Dungworth’s report pinpointed a series of factors that Northumbria Police had identified as contributing to the recurring casualties on the A1. They include speed, fatigue, unsafe overtaking, lane discipline, distraction, and compliance by foreign drivers.

There have also been concerns about the safety of particular junctions on the A1 and a series of improvements are planned at Guyzance.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Since May, a mobile speed camera van has been deployed on the A1 every day, operating across more locations than previously. While enforcement is an important part of our approach, the primary aim is to influence driver behaviour, improve compliance with speed limits and reduce the risk of serious collisions.

“This activity is supported by regular deployments of police motorcyclists along the A1 between Morpeth and Berwick-upon-Tweed.”