AN INNOVATIVE project which, according to one senior councillor, has “revolutionised” driving on the A1 is in the running for a national award.

Two years ago, a 14-mile stretch of the A1 between Dunbar and Berwick-upon-Tweed was installed with solar powered LED road studs at nine junctions, with more than 4,000 road studs put in place.

That project came about following rising safety concerns from drivers who did not feel confident using the unlit road.

Since then, driver confidence has improved by 78 per cent, with the project, which was undertaken by UK-based Clearview Intelligence in partnership with Transport Scotland and Amey, shortlisted in the Road Safety, Traffic Management and Enforcement category at the National Transport Awards, which take place in October.

Councillor Norman Hampshire, a Dunbar ward councillor and deputy leader of East Lothian Council, as well as chairman of the A1 Action Group, was one of those hailing the project as a big success.

He said: “The installation of the studs has, in my view, revolutionised the driving experience on the A1 after dark.

“The studs have improved night-time visibility beyond all recognition along certain parts of the route.”

Concerns about driving conditions on the unlit road were first raised by the A1 Action Group, which comprises councillors from Scottish Borders and East Lothian Councils, transportation groups and community councils.

Transport Scotland met with the action group and, upon investigating the road, recognised that entering or exiting the A1 during the hours of darkness was a key area of concern due to a lack of visibility, junction definition and consistency in signage and road markings.

Clearview Intelligence was then appointed by Amey to make improvements to the road as part of a wider project and installed the road studs to give a visual consistency to the route by ensuring all major junctions were visible and treated similarly.

This included using white, red, amber and green studs to effectively highlight road edges, the centre of the road and junctions.

Andy Salotti, director of solutions at Clearview Intelligence, said: “We are immensely proud of the work we did to improve the driving conditions on the A1 and delighted this has been recognised at a national level. It is an honour that we have been shortlisted as one of eight finalists in this category.”