The A1 dualling scheme was cancelled after £68.4m was spent. The council funded fresh evidence in July 2026. Plus live roadworks and Holy Island crossing times.
Driving in Northumberland has one problem that dwarfs every temporary lane closure: the A1 north of Morpeth is still part single carriageway, the scheme to fix it was cancelled, and the county is trying to get that decision reversed. This page covers where that campaign stands, where to check live roadworks, and the one road closure in the county that is genuinely unforgiving, the tide across to Holy Island.
The A1: cancelled, and back on the table
The A1 Morpeth to Ellingham dualling scheme would have converted 13 miles of single carriageway into dual. Following the Government’s Budget on 30 October 2024, it was cancelled. National Highways states plainly that the scheme “was identified as having poor value for money and limited economic benefits for the region” (National Highways). By the time it was scrapped, £68.4 million had already been spent on it (BBC News).
In July 2026 the county council put money behind a fresh attempt. Council Leader Glen Sanderson signed off more than £20,000 for the council’s own highways team to rebuild the evidence and take it to National Highways in the autumn. The council does not own the A1, so this is a lobbying exercise rather than a works programme, but the arguments it is assembling are specific:
- More than 50 people have died on the Northumberland stretch of the A1 in the last 20 years.
- The mix of dual and single carriageway is the core safety complaint, not the road’s condition.
- Congestion is worsening as tourism grows, with the council saying visitor numbers have doubled.
- Traffic avoiding the A1 pushes onto the A697 through villages such as Longhorsley, where a police camera van recorded 25 speeding incidents in a recent deployment.
A cross-party group of county politicians, backed by business and community groups, wrote to the Transport Secretary, with the North East Mayor co-signing. All political groups on the county council unanimously backed the campaign (Northumberland County Council).
What it means for you. Nothing changes on the ground in the short term. If you drive the A1 north of Morpeth regularly, plan for the single-carriageway sections between Morpeth and Ellingham to stay as they are, and expect the A697 to keep carrying overspill traffic.
Where to check live roadworks
Northumberland County Council publishes its roadworks, closures and diversions through one.network. You can search by town name, street name or postcode and zoom to see everything affecting a route (Northumberland County Council).
For sudden or unplanned disruption, usually bad weather, the council uses its Alerts page, which also surfaces at the top of its homepage, plus its Facebook and X alert channels. For anything else, streetworks enquiries go to 0345 600 6400 or streetworks@northumberland.gov.uk.
One thing worth knowing about who is responsible for what. The A1 and A69 are National Highways roads, not council roads, which is exactly why the council can fund evidence for A1 dualling but cannot deliver it. Everything else on the network, including the A697, the A19 approaches and every town street, is the county council’s.
Holy Island: the closure that does not negotiate
The causeway to Holy Island (Lindisfarne) floods twice a day. It is the only road in the county where getting the timing wrong regularly writes off a car, and every year some drivers try it anyway.
Northumberland County Council publishes official safe crossing times for the causeway road, years ahead. The rules that matter:
- The published times apply to the causeway road only.
- Always allow 30 minutes extra, because local conditions such as high wind can change them.
- There is a separate marked walking route over the sands, and the published times do not apply to it. Walk it in daylight, with someone who knows the route, and never on a rising tide. Aim to finish before the midpoint of the safe period.
To show the shape of it, here are the published safe crossing periods for a sample week in August 2026. Note how far the window moves each day: this is not a timetable you can memorise.
| Date | Safe to cross | Safe to cross (second period) |
|---|---|---|
| Mon 10 August | 03:30 until 11:30 | 16:25 until 23:55 |
| Tue 11 August | 05:05 until 12:20 | 17:55 until 00:35 (Wed) |
| Wed 12 August | 06:25 until 13:00 | 19:10 until 01:15 (Thu) |
| Thu 13 August | 07:35 until 13:40 | 20:05 until 01:50 (Fri) |
| Fri 14 August | 08:35 until 14:20 | 20:50 until 02:35 (Sat) |
| Sat 15 August | 09:20 until 15:10 | 21:20 until 03:20 (Sun) |
| Sun 16 August | 09:55 until 16:00 | 21:45 until 04:10 (Mon) |
Between those windows the causeway is unsafe. Always check the official crossing times for your own date before setting off. The council gives the times in good faith but accepts no responsibility for decisions based on them, which is another way of saying the 30-minute buffer is not optional.
Winter on Northumberland roads
The county covers a very large, largely upland area, so winter closures are a normal part of the year rather than an exception. The council runs gritting and ploughing, a snow warden scheme for communities, and publishes winter driving advice. You can request road gritting, report an empty grit bin or flag an untreated road or path through its winter services pages.
The upland A68, A696 and the Military Road (B6318) alongside Hadrian’s Wall are the routes most likely to be affected first, and the ones where a working alternative matters most.
When the train is the better answer
For the south-east of the county, it now often is. The reopened Northumberland Line runs two trains an hour from Ashington, Bedlington, Blyth Bebside, Newsham and Seaton Delaval into Newcastle for a flat £2.40 single, which beats parking in the city on both cost and certainty. Morpeth and Cramlington reach Newcastle in 14 minutes on the East Coast Main Line. Full journey times and fares are on our Northumberland train times page.
Frequently asked questions
Is the A1 in Northumberland being dualled?
No. The A1 Morpeth to Ellingham dualling scheme was cancelled following the Budget of 30 October 2024, after National Highways assessed it as poor value for money. Around £68.4 million had already been spent. The county council funded new evidence in July 2026 to argue the case again, but no scheme is currently programmed.
Why is the A1 still single carriageway in Northumberland?
The A1 through Northumberland is a mix of dual and single carriageway. The 13-mile stretch between Morpeth and Ellingham was the section due to be dualled before the scheme was cancelled. The council argues that the mix of the two is itself the safety problem.
Where can I check Northumberland roadworks?
Northumberland County Council publishes planned roadworks, closures and diversions on one.network, searchable by town, street or postcode. Unplanned disruption goes on the council’s Alerts page and its social channels.
What are the Holy Island crossing times?
They change every day with the tide, and there are usually two safe periods in each 24 hours. Northumberland County Council publishes the official table years in advance at holyislandcrossingtimes.northumberland.gov.uk. Allow 30 minutes on top of the published window.
Do the Holy Island crossing times apply to the walking route?
No. The published times cover the causeway road only. The marked route over the sands is separate and needs to be walked in daylight, with local knowledge, never on a rising tide, and finished before the midpoint of the safe period.
Who is responsible for the A1 and A69?
National Highways, not the county council. Northumberland County Council maintains the rest of the county’s roads and is the point of contact for local streetworks.
Sources
- National Highways: A1 Morpeth to Ellingham dualling (cancelled) for the cancellation and the reason given.
- BBC News: cost of cancelled A1 dualling rises to £68.4m for the sunk cost of the scrapped scheme.
- Northumberland County Council: funding secured for new A1 dualling study (27 July 2026) for the £20,000 study, the 50 deaths in 20 years, the letter to the Transport Secretary and the A697 and Longhorsley detail.
- Northumberland County Council: planned roadworks, closures and diversions for one.network, the alerts channels and streetworks contacts.
- Holy Island safe crossing times (Northumberland County Council) for the causeway times, the 30-minute rule and the walking-route warning.
- Northumberland County Council: winter services for gritting, snow wardens and winter driving.
Roadworks change constantly. This page covers the durable picture; always check one.network for live works on your route.
Have your say
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