Transport Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan has given the strongest hint yet that the long-delayed dualling of the A1 in her Northumberland constituency could be back on the agenda.
Ms Trevelyan campaigned to upgrade the A1 in north Northumberland before entering Parliament, but despite a promise in 2014 from then Prime Minister David Cameron to spend nearly £300m on dualling a stretch of the road between Morpeth and Ellingham, the project has stalled.
Hopes that the scheme would finally happen received a setback earlier this year when then Transport Secretary Grant Shapps put off a decision until December. But it was hoped that Ms Trevelyan’s appointment to succeed him as Transport Secretary last month would be a boost for the scheme, and the project was included in a list of infrastructure projects the Government wanted to “accelerate” as part of Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s ‘mini Budget’.
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Now Ms Trevelyan has used a speech at the Conservative Party conference to highlight dualling of the A1 and say the Government needs to meet its lengthy promises on the road.
She said: “We are investing record amounts in our roads, railways and future green transport solutions, to provide the conditions that will make sure business can grow on the back of clean transport - building the vital connections that will open up access to jobs, education and housing across every part of the United Kingdom.
“This Government is unashamedly going for growth. Growth is key to delivering jobs, higher wages and more money to invest in world class public services.
“A key part of achieving that growth is keeping our promises and delivering for the people. Speaking as the Member of Parliament who has campaigned for dualling the A1 – a road improvement first promised in 1992 - and was elected on that promise, delivering on our promises is firmly on my mind.”
Elsewhere in her speech, Ms Trevelyan urged rail unions and train operators to settle the rail strikes that have disrupted the transport network this summer. She also said that said she was asking the rail industry to launch consultations on reforming ticket office provision.
Earlier in the day, the Berwick MP had defended Liz Truss, saying she had not made any serious mistakes as Prime Minister, as she sought to defend her embattled party leader.
Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme, she said: “We’ve just had a change of Prime Minister, it’s been a busy and lively summer. I was a long-standing supporter of Boris Johnson and whilst he made some serious mistakes and the decision was by colleagues he had to go we now have to get ourselves in gear, with our new Prime Minister, selected by our members, and we want her to have the time and the space to get on with it.”
Asked if Ms Truss had made any serious mistakes, she said: “No, I think what she’s done is set out a big programme of her vision but importantly, come straight, in literally on day two, to set up the energy support package, which was the thing that was of most concern to everyone.”
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