After the conservatives approved plans to go ahead for the Dualling of the A1 in Northumberland, Labour announced in their October budget that the scheme is to be scrapped.
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00:00Initial planning of this scheme began in 2014 with an apparent £290 million package provided by the government, yet 10 years later there was still no sign of the work to begin.
00:11That was of course until the plans were finally approved this year and regular users of this road were filled with the outcome.
00:19Although their delight was short lived when Labour announced in their autumn budget on the 30th of October this year that the scheme had been cancelled as it was deemed as being poor value for money and had limited economic benefits for the region,
00:32I spoke with members of the public about their thoughts on the scheme being cancelled and whether or not they think the government have made the right choice.
00:48I mean, I don't get why it's being cancelled, you know.
00:51Well, it's been promised way beyond the date that you gave. I'm old enough to remember it decades ago. It's always been promised, but the money is never found.
01:01So when it's cancelled, nobody's ever surprised. And exactly the same happened this time. The last government promised it but didn't put a budget for it. So I'm not surprised it's gone.
01:12We travel to the south of England as well and the government doesn't really look very far beyond the south of England.
01:19If that road were in the south, they would be dueling it. On the other hand, I don't use that road as a quick commuter route.
01:29I use it as a road to enjoy going into Northumberland. So I don't mind being held up. And I imagine for some people it's very irritating.
01:38But I think the worst thing is roads which are partly duelled and then single carriage and then duelled and then single carriage are dangerous because people who don't know them think it's all duelled and there are dangerous points of overtaking.
01:52So perhaps in the meantime they need better signposting.