ROADS minister Andrew Jones MP has spoken of the importance of the A1 Leeming to Barton upgrade for the region’s economy and in promoting the engineering trade.

Mr Jones visited construction sites along the A1 to see how the £380m scheme is set to improve journeys and boost the local economy.

The project, which will see the widening of 12 miles of the A1 in North Yorkshire from duel carriageway to motorway, is on target for completion in spring 2017 and will provide a missing link of motorway standard road between London and Newcastle.

It has also generated around 750 jobs in construction over the three years of the scheme, and is the largest Highways England project in the country.

Mr Jones said: “I’m very impressed with what I have seen here – it is a scheme of national strategic importance and will improve the economies of North Yorkshire and the North East.

“We are having a significant investment in infrastructure both in roads and railways, so encouraging younger people to come forward and get into a career in engineering is very important.

“The upgrade is coming in on time, and will make a significant difference to peoples’ lives –through this scheme we are building the Northern Powerhouse and creating opportunities for hardworking people across Britain.”

As well as replacing the existing duel carriageway with motorway, the scheme will also provide a new separate junction at Catterick, and an improved junction at Scotch Corner.

New local access roads will run alongside the motorway for local and farm traffic, improving safety for drivers on both stretches of road.

Despite archaeological and wildlife protection works holding up construction, which has included 128km of drainage, 2.8 cubic metres of earth movement, and 605,000 tonnes of pavement laid, the project is still on time for completion in 2017.

As part of the project, 31 structures are under construction including 15 new bridges, culverts and other structures; nine demolitions and six modifications to existing structures.

The higher grade road network is estimated to save 20 lives and prevent 450 serious accidents in a 60 year period from its completion.

For more information on the scheme visit www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/A1-leeming-to-barton-improvement.