'It's a complete and utter joke that the main road between London and Edinburgh still isn't dualled'
Northumberland councillors speak out following latest deaths on A1...
Last updated 1st Jun 2026
North Northumberland Labour MP David Smith says he'll continue to press for safety improvements on the A1 to be delivered as quickly as possible.
Targeted interventions at key junctions have been promised between Morpeth and the Scottish border, as well as improved signage, markings, road barriers and lighting.
But Isobel Hunter (LibDems, Berwick West with Ord), who runs a haulage firm, as well as representing the area on the County Council, fears they won't be enough to prevent more fatalities.
She's been speaking to us after the road claimed two more lives at the weekend.
"It's very sad news, and we need action," Councillor Hunter told Greatest Hits Radio.
"I have met online with National Highways and raised my concerns that this A1 needs to be dualled right up to the Scottish border.
"I'm trying to put pressure that way, however it needs to be a government decision.
"It doesn't matter which party is in control of national government, we need this road dualled on safety grounds - it's not to try to save five minutes on a journey, it's to save lives.
"Too many lives are being lost and too many families are being affected."
A man in his 40s and a woman in her 50s died in the latest crash between Berwick and Alnwick on Saturday - which brings the total number of deaths on that stretch of road to FIVE in less than two weeks.
Plans to dual the road were repeatedly delayed by the previous Conservative government at Westminster, before being dropped by Labour - after the Department for Transport deemed the project unaffordable and poor value for money, with costs estimated at over half a billion pounds.
County councillor Guy Renner-Thompson (Conservative, Bamburgh) said: "It's a complete and utter joke that the main road between London and Edinburgh still isn't (fully) dualled, and we're still getting these accidents.
"We've had one every week for the last few weeks. People are dying - when are the government going to listen?"
North Northumberland Labour MP David Smith drives the road regularly and wants to see it dualled. But he argues the project was effectively shelved by the previous Conservative government in 2022.
"It’s been a tragic week with yet more accidents on the A1, not least with the fatalities in the vicinity of Denwick," Mr Smith reflected.
"We know the A1 through North Northumberland needs safety improvements, and these have already been committed to by National Highways. But these need to be swift, and I will continue to press for them to be delivered as quickly as possible."
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