Commenting on the cancellation of plans to dual the A1 between Morpeth to Ellingham, Sam Richards, CEO of pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade, said:
"Last year, Sir Keir Starmer rightly criticised the then Conservative government for its failure to dual the A1 between Morpeth to Ellingham almost a decade after it was first promised. After numerous delays and £67 million spent on planning, this critical scheme was finally given the go-ahead in May.
“This stretch of the A1 is one of the few parts of Britain’s longest road that is still a single lane - causing traffic chaos for everyone that relies on it. Dualling is crucial for cutting congestion and journey times between Newcastle and Edinburgh, while boosting growth and local jobs.
“So we were extremely surprised and disappointed to see the project cancelled as part of the Budget. While we appreciate the pressure on government finances, we urge ministers to reconsider this decision at the earliest opportunity."