A19 remains on agenda for campaign
A year on – and still no action.
The leader of a campaign to make the A19 safer has slammed transport chiefs after the dangers he raised 12 months ago have not been addressed.
Grahame Morris, Labour MP for Easington, launched calls for a safety review into the route because of the frequency of collisions and traffic jams on the section which runs through his constituency, as well as south to Hartlepool and north as far as South Tyneside.
The appeal is backed by our Safe A19 campaign, which has already been supported by more than 2,000 names.
In a video post he made last August, he underlined how it was suffering from a lack of Government investment – London was given £1,944 per person in transport cash compared to £220 in the North East, which impacts on the region’s infrastructure, jobs and economy.
Today, he has pledged to continue to hold transport ministers, their department and the Highways Agency to account and press for the investigation and funding to improve what is one of the North East’s main arterial roads. He says he is not willing to accept that it is only driver error which leads to collisions.
Mr Morris said: “What I said in that video is still relevant. We’re still seeing delays and collisions. The A19 remains an accident black spot. The Safe A19 campaign should continue until action is taken to reduce the regular accidents that cause delays and disruption for residents and businesses.
“We have a government that is clearly restricting investment in our region while billions are spent in London and the South East.
“Our community deserves better than indifference from Highways Authorities. It is reasonable to ask how many accidents and fatalities are required before the Government will take action to address this problem?”
A Department for Trasnport spokesperson said: “We have invested hundreds of millions of pounds in upgrading roads in the north, including the A19, where we are currently improving the Testo’s and Downhill Lane Junctions. Since 2011, Highways England has delivered safety improvements at ten sites on the A19 alone.”
The department said it has already confirmed a number of improvements for the A19, which it expects to save hundreds of lives.
It also says the North will receive more investment per person – £1,039 – than the South – £1,029 – over the years 2017/18 to 2020/21.
Our petition can be signed via https://bit.ly/2fuEZ20.