How could A1 be made safer? asks Rutland Conservative MP Alicia Kearns

An MP campaigning for improvements to the A1 has secured a meeting with the roads minister to discuss safety upgrades - and she wants to find out what drivers think.

Rutland MP Alicia Kearns (Con) has called for a Parliamentary debate to discuss the ‘urgent safety upgrades needed on the A1’.

“The A1 is failing us as a critical artery for our country and a critical piece of national infrastructure,” she said.

During questions to the leader of the house yesterday (April 2), she asked when the next review of A-roads under consideration for upgrade to motorways will take place.

Commons leader Penny Mordaunt confirmed that the next draft of the Roads Investment Strategy, covering the period 2025 to 2030, will be published soon and agreed that the minister for roads Guy Opperman will meet Mrs Kearns to discuss concerns on the A1.

The Rutland MP has launched an A1 survey on her website encouraging residents to share their views on how the A1 can be made safer.

To complete the survey, visit: https://www.aliciakearns.com/a1-survey.

Mrs Kearns said: “Further urgent safety improvements must focus on the closure of substandard junctions, the provision of a concrete central barrier and better active traffic management.

“We must also focus on upgrading the safety technology along the A1, including CCTV and SOS telephones, helping those in danger to get the urgent help they need.

“In the long-term, there is only one meaningful solution which is to upgrade this section of the A1 to a three-lane motorway standard, but I want to hear residents’ views on this.

“I am pleased to have secured a meeting with the minister for roads to highlight our community’s concerns and discuss the long-term improvements needed.”

There have been six fatal crashes on the 35-mile section of A1 between Stamford and Newark between January 2020 and June 2023.

A further 33 incidents involved serious injuries and 107 resulted in minor injuries, as well as many more smaller prangs where drivers and passengers walked away unhurt.

Mrs Kearns, a regular user of the main road, set up the A1 MPs working group in 2020 to push for improvements to make the road safer.

The group had regular meetings with ministers and a debate in parliament which helped secure safety upgrades at five points along the A1 from the Tinwell junction to the Colsterworth interchange

While she is relieved to see the initial safety upgrades, Mrs Kearns believes more work still needs to be done.

We previously asked our LincsOnline readers what would be their top priority to make the A1 safer.

Here are the results

What do you think? Share your views in the comments.