Opposite to expectations, a BBC camera team preparing a report on road safety captured a crash involving two cars while filming on the Lincolnshire stretch of the A1. Local residents had expressed concern over the safety of junctions that cross the dual carriageway, following several recent accidents. People in the two vehicles involved in the collision appeared to be unharmed. The cars were moved to a safer location. Cameron Matthews, a resident in the area spoke to the BBC team and commented that crashes were happening almost every day at the aforementioned junctions. Meanwhile, another local resident, Fiona Caller, shared an image of a car that had crashed through her neighbor’s garden fence. The family living in the house was lucky enough to be OK.
Lincolnshire County Councillor, Richard Davies, spoke about the general concern over this part of the A1 and suggested that the road required a national solution to avoid putting residents in danger. He described it as a national problem, but also added that it needed a significant upgrade, going as far as being a “motorway-level upgrade” from Stamford to Newark. A spokesperson for National Highways, who is responsible for the A1, stated that they would continue to keep the safety on this stretch of road under close review and work with the local community on any plans for future safety improvements.
A recent report noted that safety concerns at eight junctions along the A1 in Lincolnshire were identified by members of the public and local politicians. A petition calling for the dualling of the A1 from Grantham to the Apleyhead roundabout near Blyth had reached more than 20,000 signatures as of May 2021. Lincolnshire Police and the National Police Chiefs’ Council reported in May 2020, that Lincolnshire was the second most dangerous county for fatal accidents on UK roads. Motorists are being advised to take extra care and pay attention to advertisements reminding them to drive safely on troublesome areas of the route.
A spokesperson for National Highways confirmed that safety was a top priority but added that they were never complacent and were aware of any concerns raised regarding the A1. Nevertheless, they acknowledged that the road needed to be supervised continuously to ensure the safety of drivers. Furthermore, National Highways is working alongside the Lincolnshire police to address concerns raised by the local community over the A1 in Lincolnshire
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