Stamford and Rutland MP to tackle "dangerous" A1 crossings
Alicia Kearns says she wants to close more crossings to reduce accidents
An MP has vowed to close more “dangerous crossings” on the A1.
Alicia Kearns, the Conservative MP for Rutland and Stamford, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service she is working with National Highways for more of the central reservations to be closed at Great Ponton to reduce the number of accidents there.
Mrs Kearns spoke about her priorities for the year ahead – which also includes continuing to push for Rutland to be granted ceremonial status and for the creation of a banking hub in Stamford.
The MP said that while 13 of the central reservation crossings on the A1 have already been closed, she is working for more to be shut to make the road safer.
She added: “My next point is how do we get more of them closed and that takes us on a long journey.
“It’s not going to be quick or easy and there’s obviously no funding being made available from the government.
“All the way up to the next stage is how do we sort the Great Ponton crossing?
“We all know that Great Ponton is the most dangerous. You’ve got four junctions across the A1.
“Anyone who has driven past and has seen a trailer going across or a HGV (heavy goods vehicle) or someone carrying a horsecarriage, or anything like that, or even just lots of cars stacked up, knows it’s horrible to drive.”
Mrs Kearns said she put out a consultation to residents in Great Ponton in September last year asking them for their views on how to tackle the issue.
She added that the consultation has now closed and she will provide National Highways with the responses to help inform its recommendations.
Mrs Kearns added: “But then we have got to somehow get the money from the government and it’s not going to be cheap.
“Essentially, this is a long-term thing that I’ve got to keep fighting and campaigning for.
“I’ve got to take the case to the government, but I want to take it to the government with National Highways saying ‘we agree with Alicia, that’s what we need to do’”.
But Mrs Kearns acknowledged that not all accidents can be prevented, adding that Lincolnshire Police has told her that the “vast majority of accidents” are down to drivers getting distracted.
She added: “When I was first elected, I did ask the police for all the data around all the accidents that happen in our stretch of the A1.
“To be fair, the vast majority of accidents are down to a user driver doing something.
“So, doing their make-up or trying to go on their phone – the phone is the most common one.”
But Mrs Kearns warned that many of the central reservation crossings in Great Ponton are “fundamentally dangerous” and need to be closed.
The MP also told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that she is working to create a banking hub in Stamford ahead of Lloyds Bank permanently closing in October this year.
Mrs Kearns said: “The next thing is the banking hub in Stamford. I want to make sure that that is a success and that we have it with a cash machine and we see as many different banks as possible operating from it – obviously there’s a maximum of five.
“But I want to make sure that that is up and running obviously before Lloyds closes and we are ready to go.”
The Conservative MP also said she was disappointed that the government had failed to recognise her bid for Rutland to receive ceremonial status, following the threat of local government reorganisation which could mean that it becomes part of Leicestershire.
Ms Kearns tabled an amendment in November last year to the government’s English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to ensure that Rutland continues to be recognised as a county after local government reorganisation.
She said she will continue to urge the government to support her amendment, but added that it has so far failed to do so.
Mrs Kearns also criticised Rutland County Council’s proposal to merge with Leicestershire to create a large unitary authority and said this was against the wishes of most residents who said in a consultation that they would prefer to join with Lincolnshire.
She added: “It was completely undemocratic, it was completely pre-determined what outcome they wanted, and if I’m honest, it shows complete contempt for the people of Rutland.
“Also how they’re (Rutland County Council) gaslighting people around the ceremonial status, saying ‘it’s not a problem, it’s not a problem’.
“It is a problem because we’re legislatively not protected and if we’re not protected, we will have the signs up saying ‘Welcome to Leicestershire’, not ‘Welcome to Rutland’.”