A1 safety petition with 15,000 signatures delivered to Downing Street

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 30 Oct, 10:47 · Archive

A petition calling for dualling of the A1 in Northumberland, signed by almost 15,000 people, has been handed to Downing Street.

A petition calling for the dualling of the A1 in Northumberland has been handed to Downing Street after an epic walk and campaign. Almost 15,000 people signed the petition, organised by the Northumberland A1 Safety Alliance. The campaign was reignited following eight deaths on the A1 in the county this year. Campaigners walked from Berwick to Newcastle city centre over five days to highlight the issue, and the petition was delivered on Thursday by alliance co-founder Kezz Petronelli-Stone alongside Scottish Conservative MP John Lamont.

The petition calls for ministers to commit to continuous dualling of the A1 all the way to the Scottish border, after a previous scheme to upgrade 13 miles between Morpeth and Ellingham was shelved in 2024. It also seeks immediate interim upgrades, including to junction visibility and hazard warnings, to prevent further fatal collisions.

Petronelli-Stone said he hoped the petition could reach 100,000 names by next February to trigger a parliamentary debate and has invited Prime Minister Andy Burnham to visit the A1 to see the problems firsthand. Burnham said on a recent visit to Newcastle that his government would look for an 'alternative way' to fund the scheme and has committed to safety improvements.

How it is being reported

• A1 dualling petition delivered to Downing StreetAlmost 15,000 people signed the petition, in a campaign reignited following eight deaths this year.BBC Tyne And Wear · 30 Oct, 10:18
• Northumberland A1 dualling petition delivered to Downing Street after epic hikeCampaigners demanding safety upgrades on the A1 walked the length of Northumberland to gather support last week and have now delivered their petition to WestminsterChronicleLive · 29 Oct, 17:03

In this story: Northumberland · A1 · Northumberland A1 Safety Alliance · Kezz Petronelli-Stone · Andy Burnham · John Lamont · Downing Street · Berwick

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