This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Contract awarded to upgrade A1
12/03/2002
The contract to construct a £40 million scheme to
alleviate congestion at pinch points on the A1 south of
Haddington was awarded today.
Announcing the award of the contract, Lewis Macdonald
the Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong
Learning said traffic bottlenecks on the A1 have moved
closer to becoming a thing of the past.
A 13.7km expressway of new road will be constructed
between Haddington and Dunbar by Balfour Beatty
Construction Ltd. The stretch will be up-graded to near
motorway standard and will cut journey times and improve
road safety.
The contract is expected to start on 3 June this year,
lasting approximately 80 weeks. The new road is expected to
be open to traffic by December 2003.
Mr Macdonald said:
"I am delighted to make this award today for road
improvements which communities situated off this stretch of
the A1 have been calling for over many years.
"The A1 Expressway will significantly improve travel
conditions and bring benefits to business and tourism, as
well as local communities.
"This was one of five major schemes identified in the
Strategic Roads Review and the award made today signifies
our commitment to delivering these schemes.
"This Haddington-Dunbar scheme is also the largest of
four new schemes on the A1. Once all the schemes are
complete more than two-thirds of the A1 will be dual
carriageway - resulting in the up-grade of one of
Scotland's vital links with England bringing national and
local benefits."
The Haddington-Dunbar Expressway scheme was announced as
part of £680 million package of improvements to Scottish
roads in March 2001. The scheme will entail a major
crossing of the River Tyne.
The Expressway will run east from the end of the
existing dual carriageway at Haddington (East) to a new
roundabout at Thistly Cross west of Dunbar, completing the
dualling of the most heavily trafficked section of the A1
in Scotland from Edinburgh to Dunbar.
The three other schemes on the A1 are Bowerhouse to
Spott Road, Howburn to Houndwood (1.4km) and Thistly Cross
to Bowerhouse (0.8km).
The 5 major schemes approved in the Strategic Roads
Review are:
- A1 Haddington to Dunbar Expressway.
- A830 Arisaig to Kinsadel which is under
construction and is expected to be open to traffic in
February 2003.
- A78 Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenson Bypass on
which the outcome of the Public Local Inquiry held in
November 2001 is awaited.
- A96 Fochabers and Mosstodloch Bypass for which
draft Orders were published in October 2001. A Public
Local Inquiry is expected to be held.
- M77 Fenwick to Malletsheugh is being jointly
promoted with the Glasgow Southern Orbital Road as a
PPP scheme. Tenders for which were invited on 1
February 2002.