January 11, 2022 6.05 pm This story is over 26 months old

Grantham MP joins A1 improvement calls to reduce fatalities on “deathtrap” road

“My constituents want action now”
By Local Democracy Reporter

Grantham and Stamford MP Gareth Davies has joined calls for improvements to the A1 through the East Midlands, describing the “deathtrap crossovers” as “an absolute nightmare”.

Some in parliament are calling for the A1 to be made in a motorway in the area to prevent issues with collisions, first campaigned by Alicia Kearns, MP for Rutland and Melton.

The calls have been backed by Newark MP Robert Jenrick and Grantham and Stamford’s Member of Parliament Gareth Davies, as it was discovered that the rate of fatal collisions on the section of the A1 near Grantham is significantly higher than the average for an A road dual carriageway.

Some 27 deaths have been recorded in the area in the last five years, and upgrades to the road are being described as “the only solution”.

Mr Davies said that there are issues that can be addressed immediately by Highways England, saying his constituents “want action now”.

“They want to see these improvements that are quite frankly pretty minor, so who is responsible for this? Well, it isn’t actually ministers, who have provided a significant amount of funding to national highways, which is the body responsible.”

The Transport Minister Grant Shapps has agreed to organise a meeting with the Roads Minister to discuss the issue further, though at this present moment it would seem improvement plans are far from concrete.