A WIDENING of the A1 north of Newcastle is expected to be announced today as a key part of the Government's plan to boost business and transport links with the North-East.

The scheme is seen by local business leaders as playing a vital role in helping the regeneration of the region.

Five projects are due to be announced by Transport Secretary Alistair Darling, including some dualling of the A1 north of Newcastle but not full dualling, and some rail service upgrades in the region.

It will be the third of three major road projects in the region given approval recently.

They include the upgrading of the A1 to motorway status south of Darlington in two stages, a £263m project between Bramham in West Yorkshire to Barton, and then beyond to Dishforth in North Yorkshire, at a cost of £225m.

There has also been approval of a plan to upgrade the A66 between Penrith and Scotch Corner, added to the Government's Targeted Programme of Improvements by Transport Minister John Spellar in September.

The A66 linking Scotch Corner to Cumbria is regarded as one of the most dangerous roads in the country and The Northern Echo has been at the forefront of campaigns to see it upgraded.

News that the A1 widening north of Newcastle is due to be announced was welcomed by John Bridge, chairman of regional development agency OneNorth-East.

He said: "This is something we have been campaigning for at least four years. It is a vital part of the development of the whole region."

Today's announcement, due to be made by Mr Darling, will be part of a £2bn national scheme to ease congestion on motorways and trunk roads.

It will amount to the biggest road building plan since Labour came to power in 1997, when Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott shelved a large part of the previous Tory Government's roads programme.

Other schemes due to be announced include full dualling of A303/A30 and A358 from M25 to Taunton and Exeter, recommended widening of M6 to four lanes each way, recommended M1 widening in the Chesterfield area, plus new rail services, and recommended limited widening between Nottingham and the M1.

However, environmental groups reacted with dismay last night to details of the Government's planned road schemes.

Transport 2000 said the announcement marked "a serious return to big road building".

A Transport 2000 spokes-man said: "Decisions to go along with the road plans would be a move away from the commitment to integrated transport and would bring anger from environmental groups and the Department of Environment."

But motoring organisation, the RAC, hailed the motorway and trunk road improvements as "a realisation that an integrated transport policy includes road building".