National Highways’ plans to improve safety along the A1 in the East Midlands have moved a step closer following consultation on the closure of a series of gaps in the central reservation.
Eleven gaps between Little Ponton and South Witham in Lincolnshire are now earmarked for closure in the coming weeks in response to safety concerns raised by local communities. This represents 20% of the gaps in the county.
Following extensive consultation, which began last year, National Highways is moving to the next stage in the process, with traffic orders due to be published next week. If there are no objections, work can get underway to close the gaps.
This is the first phase of National Highways’ safety improvements plan, with larger gaps across Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and Rutland—between Blyth and Stamford—being considered for closure in the next phase.
National Highways Route Manager Phil Shaw said:
“This is the first milestone in a complex legal and technical process that will ultimately improve safety along the A1 across the whole region.
“We have listened to the concerns of local people and developed a long-term plan for this busy road, which demonstrates our commitment to improving safety here for both road users and local communities.
“There has been a lot of support for closing these gaps during our conversations with local communities.”
