A new Catterick Central junction has opened today (Thursday, 12 November 2015) – marking a major phase in the construction of the A1 Leeming to Barton scheme.
Drivers will be able to access the A1 via the new junction without having to travel through Catterick and Brompton on Swale.
The improvements are part of a £380 million Highways England project, which began last year, to widen 12 miles of the A1 in North Yorkshire from dual carriageway to a 3-lane motorway between Leeming and Barton. It is the largest Highways England roads project currently under construction in the country.
As part of the scheme a new local access road alongside the new motorway will be created improving safety for local traffic from the surrounding communities.
Currently access to the A1 is via two junctions, Catterick North and Catterick South, which need to be altered as part of a major project to upgrade this section of the A1.
Catterick South junction will close at a later date with the bridge over the road being demolished. Catterick North will remain and will carry the new local access road across the A1.
Roads Minister Andrew Jones said:
As part of our long-term economic plan, we are investing a record £13 billion in transport infrastructure in the North, helping to create a Northern Powerhouse that can close the economic gap between north and south.
The work on the A1 is an important part of this process and we are determined to keep the momentum going. There are many more schemes across the north already underway which will improve our roads, reverse decades of underinvestment and secure economic growth for all.
Highways England project manager Tom Howard said:
This is a major milestone within the project and will have major benefits for drivers especially those travelling from the west that will have a more direct route on to the A1 without having to drive through Catterick and Brompton on Swale.
The new junction which is located north of the existing junction at Catterick South has been opened before the demolition of Fort Bridge which carries the A6136 this weekend.
This demolition is a complex piece of engineering and requires the closure of the A1 for 34 hours. The plan is to demolish Catterick South bridge at a later date.
Clearly signed diversions will be in place for the demolition of Fort Bridge and drivers are advised to allow an extra 30 minutes to their journey time.
During the closure the light festival Lumiere will be held in Durham. Festival goers travelling to the event by car from the South are advised to check the latest travel information and plan their route carefully to take into account the diversions. Live traffic and travel information for the event can be found on the #lumieredurham
When completed the A1 Leeming to Barton scheme will unlock growth and boost the economy by creating a continuous motorway-standard route between London and Newcastle (including the M1 and A1M). It will also improve journey times and increase safety.
Drivers who intend to travel on the A1 during the closure are being advised to check the latest traffic conditions before they set off.
