In Northumberland Preferred Route Announcement September 2017
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A1 in Northumberland Preferred Route Announcement September 2017 Why do we need this scheme? Morpeth to Felton Alnwick to Ellingham Every road user wants less congested roads A1 north of Ellingham Three options were considered for the proposed Three options were considered between Alnwick and to enable swift, safe, comfortable and informed improvements between Morpeth and Felton; Ellingham. Only the Orange option was affordable A set of measures to enhance the performance travel. On behalf of the government and its within the scheme budget and therefore, the Green and safety of the A1 north of Ellingham. Orange Option: upgrade the existing road to Road Investment Strategy, Highways England is and Blue options were presented as discounted dual carriageway, either widening to the east or responsible for delivering the largest investment in options at the public consultation: Note: The A1 in Northumberland was previously the west depending on the local features that a generation throughout England’s motorways and known as the A1 north of Newcastle in the we need to consider Orange Option: upgrade the existing road major A roads. The A1 in Northumberland is a key governments 2014 Road Investment Strategy, to dual carriageway, widening either to the east part of this investment. Green Option: build a new carriageway to the this was updated to better reflect the geography or the west depending on the local features that west of the existing road between Priest’s Bridge of the improvements. we need to consider The A1 is one of the longest roads in the and Burgham Park country, connecting London and Edinburgh. The expected regional benefits Green Option: upgrade approximately 1.2 miles Blue Option: upgrade the majority of the The route currently consists of motorway and dual of the scheme are to: (2 km) of existing road to dual carriageway, existing road to dual carriageway, with carriageway standard with some areas of single and build a new carriageway to the east of the Improve journey times on the route of strategic approximately 1.2 miles (2 km) section of new carriageway sections running between Morpeth existing road at Heckley Fence, before crossing national importance carriageway to the east of the A1 near Causey and Ellingham and Ellingham and Berwick. over to the west of the existing road at Elsnook Park Bridge Improve network resilience and journey Plantation and continuing until Shipperton Burn In Northumberland, the A1 runs through an extensive time reliability rural landscape, close to the Northumberland Blue Option: upgrade the majority of the coastline. This section of the A1 is used by a wide Improve safety existing road to dual carriageway, with variety of road users for many different reasons. Maintain access for local traffic whilst improving approximately 2.2 miles (3.5 km) section of new From business users travelling long distance conditions for strategic traffic carriageway built to the west of the existing route between Newcastle and Edinburgh, local traffic between Elsnook Plantation and Shipperton Burn accessing rural areas, and tourists who come Facilitate future economic growth to visit the many historic attractions and coastline. B6345 Felton B6345 Avoid, mitigate and compensate for potential A1 Ellingham B1340 In 2014 a feasibility study was carried out which impacts on the natural and built environment and identify opportunities to provide a long term and River Coquet considered the problems experienced by people Eshott A1 Airfield Brownieside sustainable benefit to the environment Eshott using the route. Burgham Park Golf Course North Charlton Christon Bank Following this, in Autumn 2014, the government Shipperton Bridge announced the first Roads Investment Strategy, which included a £290 million package to improve Options considered Longhorsley South Charlton the A1 in Northumberland as part of a national Rock A number of options were developed and considered Earsdon investment of £15 billion into England’s motorways A697 B6347 as part of developing this scheme. This booklet Elsnook Rennington and major A roads. Fenrother Tritlington School Plantation provides details of the options to dual the A1 Heckley between Morpeth and Felton and Alnwick and Fence B1340 Ellingham, which were presented to the public B6346 B6341 This includes: High Highlaws B1337 East Bolton at a series of exhibitions in 2016. Hebron Broxfield Todd A1 Morpeth to Ellingham Hill Hulne Denwick Further information about the proposals for Morpeth Northern Park 13 miles of upgrade to dual the carriageway linking Bypass improving the A1 north of Ellingham which were the Morpeth and Alnwick bypasses with the dual A197 Alnwick A1 also presented at the public exhibitions can © Crown copyright and database rights © Crown copyright and database rights 2017 carriageway near Ellingham, to create a continuous, 2017 Ordnance Survey 100030649 be found on the scheme webpage at: Ordnance Survey 100030649 A1 Morpeth high-quality dual carriageway from Newcastle www.highways.gov.uk/A1inNorthumberland. to Ellingham. Local and B roads Existing A1 Morpeth to Felton New proposed roads Public consultation on the options B6345 Previous A1 Green route option Felton Between 14 November and 23 December 2016, three petitions. On the Morpeth to Felton section, B6345 Highways England held a series of events in the 41% said that the Green option was their preferred River Coquet local area during a consultation period on the A1 option, 29% preferred the Blue option, and 12% B6345 in Northumberland scheme. preferred the Orange option. A total of 587 responses were received to the For the Alnwick to Ellingham section, nearly half A1 consultation, the majority via paper questionnaires of respondents (49%) agreed with the proposed provided at the events, with several others Orange option, between Alnwick and Ellingham, Westmoor responding via email, letters or online via the five percent disagreed and the rest said they Highways England webpage. We also received neither agreed nor disagreed or did not answer. Westmoor junction Eshott Airfield Providing access to local roads and theA1 A1 Parallel local road to provide Bockenfield Holiday Park Burgham underbridge The preferred routes access to the old A1 south of Felmoor Park Maintaining east–west link Eshott Airfield Burgham Park Golf under the A1 The decision for the preferred route has been made The Orange route option has been selected as & Leisure Club following consideration of the factors listed below: the preferred route between Alnwick and Ellingham. Along with the majority of the consultation responses Consultation feedback agreeing that this option should be taken forward, A1 Cost it also provides additional network resilience and overtaking opportunities by providing a dual Causey Park Cost benefit ratio based on economic carriageway road standard. Additionally, this assessment improvement provides added safety benefits by The Oak Inn Ease of construction providing an overbridge junction connecting B6341, B6347 and the A1 at South Charlton. It was also Road safety, including alignment and geometric noted that this improvement will require land standards to be developed. Earsdon Impacts on road user satisfaction Causey Park overbridge Fenrother junction Following the consultation responses and our Maintaining east-west link Fenrother Providing access to local roads Impacts on pedestrians, cyclists and horse-riders discussions with landowners, we have changed Theover Oak the A1 Inn and the A1 the proposed junction design at South Charlton Impacts on local communities and landowners Tritlington to improve access for properties in the local area. A697 Environmental impacts The new design is shown on the diagram. Fenrother A1 The Green route option has been selected as the This preferred route safeguards the alignment of preferred option between Morpeth and Felton. Along the new road from other developments and further A697 with being the most popular option presented to details of the scheme design will be developed as Low Espley the public, this also presents the greatest benefits the scheme progresses. A1 Espley during construction, in terms of building efficiency and worker safety as the majority of the improvement A697 is constructed away from the existing road. Hebron It also has the best road alignment for improving Strafford house safety on the route. Additionally, it also retains the Highlaws and Low Espley Heighley Gate Garden A697 existing A1 to act as a local road after scheme junctions Centre completion, which can be utilised to reduce delays Providing access to local Warreners Access tracks House during future routine maintenance. It was also noted roads and the A1 via an for Warreners House overbridge at Highlaws that the green route option requires land to be used Left-in left-out access to private in its construction. Northgate Northgate road to Low Espley © Crown copyright and database rights 2017 OS 100030649 Alnwick to Ellingham Local and B roads Orange route option Existing A1 New proposed roads What happens next? Following this Preferred Route Announcement, We will then submit an application for a Development we will be consulting on the preferred options Consent Order to the Planning Inspectorate in 2018 to gather input into the finer points of the design. ahead of receiving a decision in late 2019. During In parallel with this, we will also be continuing this process, you will have the opportunity to register North with work to complete the preliminary design of as an interested party with the Planning Inspectorate Charlton the improvements. This will include work such as in order to support or object to the proposals. We South finishing surveys of the local area, including ground will publish details on how to do this on our scheme Charlton investigation and work to understand the nature of webpage nearer the time. B6347 B6347 the local drainage systems and progress all access B6347 arrangements along the route. Our environmental Following the decision of the Planning Inspectorate impact assessment will also be completed and this we aim to start the construction work in 2019/20.