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THE mystery over that A1 motorway inquiry report, sitting on a minister's desk for over a year, may soon be resolved, Spectator understands.

The bottom line is that the Government is desperately short of cash, beset by falling tax revenues and growing liabilities, and big infrastructure projects are being postponed left right and centre.

Politically though, outright postponement is out of the question, given the amount of public money that has already been spent on the scheme.

So a compromise is likely, with the Government expected to announce very shortly that work will start on the upgrading to three lanes of the Dishforth to Leeming stretch, but that the work on the Leeming to Scotch Corner section will be delayed for at least two years and possibly longer.

Devil in the detail A HEATED argument blazed away this week over whether staff at the new North-East Fire Control Centre, which will open for business in Belmont Business Park, in Durham, in October next year, would have sufficient knowledge of the more remote parts of the region to direct fire engines correctly.

Mistakes are easily made, critics claim. And this was proved as the Fire Minister, Parmjit Dhanda, unveiled a plaque at the control room, to mark the occasion of the centre being transferred to the North-East Fire Control Company.

The plaque read that the ceremony had been performed by a Mr Dhanda with the first name "Parmijit".

What's in a name, minister?

Moving on OPEN displays of affection between gay men are still, in the main, found only in Britain's cities, and then, by and large, only in certain areas, bars and restaurants.

So Spectator was surprised to hear of two men seen walking through Leyburn last Saturday morning openly holding hands. We offer no comment other than to say, for rural North Yorkshire, this is remarkable.

Easter certainty One thing we can be sure of this Easter, regardless of the less than encouraging weather forecast, is that Whitby will be packed.

The port's enduring charms have led to overload in the peak weekends and parking is now almost impossible if you don't get up at the crack of dawn to get there before the hordes.

So the failure of the town council and the national park authority to reach an agreement over the siting of the town's first park-and-ride car park is very disappointing.

Spectator predicts total gridlock this summer.

12:46pm Friday 21st March 2008

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