A PLAN by the Government’s Department for Transport to cut traffic speeds on the A1 from Birtley to Blaydon have been slammed by Liberal Democrats as putting the area into “the slow lane”.
The plans to cut the speed limit from 70mph to 50 mph are being put forward by the Government as the alternative to investing in upgrading the road.
Neil Bradbury, the Liberal Democrats’ prospective MP for Blaydon, described the plans as little more than a joke that will do nothing to solve the serious congestion on the road.
Neil said, “The A1 from Birtley to the bridge over the Tyne at Blaydon is one of the most congested in the North East. It carries far more traffic than it was designed to take.
“In rush hour, the road slows to a snail’s pace, so the idea that congestion will be solved by lowering the speed limit to 50mph is laughable.
“This stretch of road has room for a third lane. Changes are also needed to create a better flow of traffic into and out of the Metrocentre.
“The plan by Labour to solve the problems of this road by cutting the speed limit is nothing more than a window-dressing exercise on the cheap. It will have very little practical benefit.
“The A1 in Gateshead is a strategic road and congestion there damages our local economy. It needs real investment, not daft and irrelevant plans that put us in the slow lane.”
2 comments:
The only possible reason they can have for lowering the speed limit is because they will install speed cameras and make money out of it. Probably average speed cameras because they record our registration numbers to keep tabs on us and can readily form the basis of congestion charging too.
Yes Tom you are right in the assumption of congestion charging. As that power has been allocated to the local government. Why else would Gateshead council allow a non driver to sequence the traffic lights in Gateshead? I put in a perfectly viable proposition for most roundabouts in Gateshead a few years ago. And it was refused for this catastrophic chain of events we have now. WHY? Is all I ask. And don't say cost. As I have seen so much overtime on Sundays on lights it is unbelievable. LOL.
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