The Director of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) in the North East of England has welcomed calls to rename the A1, following the completion of the Government’s planned upgrades.
Campaigners demanding the name of the A1 to be changed to the M1 believe it would help businesses in the region by highlighting our connection to key markets.
The upgrades, which are part of a £700 million investment in the A1 will see sections of the A1 south of Newcastle that are not currently dual carriageway upgraded to a continuous, unbroken motorway.
Penny Marshall, Director of ICE North East, said “Renaming the A1, following the completion of the upgrades, could raise the profile of the North East. Whatever its name the creation of a direct motorway link to London will improve our connectivity to the rest of the UK and potentially bring growth to the region.
“Equally important to the North East’s growth is improving the capacity and quality of our local road infrastructure. We will only seem the benefit of improved connections to other regions if our integrated transport systems are fit for purpose and able to cope.”