Dual the A1 says local MP

The lack of investment in major roads in the Borders - particularly the A1 through Berwickshire - has been criticised by local MP John Lamont.

The A1 goes down to single lane at the England/Scotland border.

In February, the £1 billion Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route was completed, a £3 billion A9 dualling project between Killiecrankie and Glengarry has started and 86 miles of the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness will be dualled by 2030.

Mr Lamont has been campaigning for the 17 mile single lane stretches of the A1 in Berwickshire and East Lothian to be dualled and has written to the Transport Secretary saying the time has come for the Scottish Government to invest in this route.

Mr Lamont said: “Upgrading the A1 would provide a huge economic boost to the Borders, while also providing a road that is safer and easier to travel on. For years residents and businesses in Berwickshire have been crying out for the A1 to be improved. The SNP seem reluctant to invest in this route, perhaps because it leads to England. Whatever the reason, the A1 has been overlooked for too long.

“The UK Government is pressing ahead with dualling the A1 south of the border so I’ve written to the SNP Government to urge them to follow this lead. What type of message does it send out if the entire English section is dualled, only for the road to become a single carriageway as soon as motorists get to Scotland?”