Councils oppose upgrade to A1

Bedfordshire County Council is up in arms about Highways Agency proposals to build a œ173 million scheme to upgrade the Al to motorway standard between Baldock and Alconbury.

The council says it has the backing of neighbouring Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire councils and local residents affected by the scheme, which it says involves building a completely new stretch of motorway, close to but west of the existing A1.

The proposed route does not contain sufficient junctions to stop traffic using the existing A1 and the council says that through traffic could be better catered for by improving the M1, M11 and A14.