Importance of A1 may be recognised
DURING December the Government will close a consultation proposing to revise strategic national corridors in the UK.
Within this it is suggested the route between Newcastle and Edinburgh be recognised as strategically significant for the UK economy. The meaning of this is that this stretch of road will be eligible for funding from a slightly bigger pot.
Of course businesses, commuters and tourists, and in particular hauliers that rely on the A1 north of Newcastle will welcome this change in policy, especially if it results in upgrades.
Unfortunately, the Department for Transport (DfT) has no immediate plans to make substantive investment in this stretch of the A1 any time soon. As we all know, money is very tight at Her Majesty’s Treasury.
Perhaps this explains why, when the DfT announced £600m of local road upgrades across the UK recently, the North East didn’t receive a penny for its road infrastructure.
Two weeks ago the Secretary of State for Transport, Philip Hammond, visited the North East to speak at the North East Economic Forum. NECC’s president spoke also to set out the strategic transport priorities as seen by NECC members, reminding Mr Hammond that North East businesses require good access to domestic as well as international markets. Our road, rail, airport and port infrastructure must be world-class to support activity within the private sector, which is after all set to be the trustee of growth at a time of public sector cutbacks.
The A1 north of Newcastle gives us an arterial link to Edinburgh, which is a hugely important market for many North East businesses. However, this link is often clogged with slow-moving or indeed stationary traffic. In the case of hauliers this represents costly delays resulting in drivers frequently needing to be paid overtime. North East goods, and the supplies that make our economy tick, need to find their respective markets without unnecessary costs being incurred – which ultimately impacts on all businesses.
Investment in North East transport infrastructure is, quite simply, not up to scratch. Transport spending in the North East £261 per head of the population, compared with a national average for the UK of £363 per head. The net result of this is that the North East is still the only region not included on the UK’s strategic motorway infrastructure. In fact, the length of motorway in the North East is a meagre 55.6 miles.
If the Government wishes to see economic rebalancing in the North East, it needs to let businesses grow.
:: Alan Ferguson is a past president of the North East Chamber of Commerce
