Press release

A1 weekend closure for motorway upgrade

Section of the A1 to be closed this weekend as part of a major upgrade.

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A section of the A1 will be closed this weekend as part of a major project to upgrade the dual carriageway to a three lane motorway between Leeming and Barton.

Contractors for Highways England will be carrying out extensive drainage work on the A1 and the road will need to be closed from 8pm on Saturday 7 May until 6am on Monday 9 May.

The A1 will be fully closed between junction 51 (Leeming Bar) and Scotch Corner. Clearly signed diversions will be in place and drivers are being advised to allow an extra 30 minutes for their journeys.

Highways England project manager Tom Howard said:

We will be installing a new drain which will cross both lanes of the carriageway which is why it is essential we close this section of the A1. We’ll also be carrying out additional work, including reconstructing part of the road.

We’ll be carrying out the work overnight and during the day on Sunday when the road is quieter and are encouraging people to plan their journeys in advance and allow extra time if they need to travel when the road is closed. We would like to thank drivers for their patience.

When completed, the A1 Leeming to Barton scheme will create a continuous motorway standard route between London and Newcastle (including the M1 and A1M). It will also improve journey times and increase safety.

For more details visit the scheme website.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

Published 5 May 2016