Overnight road closures as work begins on improvements at  A428 Black Cat roundabout next week

Overnight road closure are set to start next week as work begins on improvements at the Black Cat roundabut.

The A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements aim to cut journey times between Milton Keynes, Bedford, St Neots, and Cambridge.

The overnight closures are scheduled on the A421 between between the Black Cat roundabout and Renhold junction from Monday, October 2. This will allow National Highways to install 40mph speed restrictions, roadworks signs, safety barriers, narrow lanes, speed cameras, and CCTV.

National Highways will also reconstruct the existing central reservation into a running lane, which will keep two lanes open to traffic on the A421 eastbound throughout construction.

Gareth Moores, National Highways Programme Manager, said: “These are the first steps as we work towards full construction. As well as the installation of CCTV, speed cameras and safety barriers, you will also see us reconstructing the central reservation on the A421 eastbound to create room to keep two lanes of traffic moving throughout main construction.

“While it won't always be possible to completely avoid some short-term delays and congestion, we have looked at lots of different scenarios and outcomes to keep traffic moving as much as possible during construction. 

"I know from speaking to local people and businesses there is overwhelming support and anticipation for the start of construction, so I am delighted that we are now starting to see positive progress and our plans are soon to become reality.”

Main construction on the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements is expected to start before the end of the year.

National Highways plans will see the creation of a new 10-mile dual carriageway linking the A1 Black Cat roundabout in Bedfordshire to the Caxton Gibbet roundabout on the A428 in Cambridgeshire.

Both existing roundabouts will be upgraded into modern, free-flowing junctions with a new junction added at Cambridge Road, improving access to St Neots and its train station.     

The improvements will help drivers save up to an hour-and-a-half on their journeys every week.    

The scheme is expected to open to traffic in 2027.  

Overnight closures will take place in two phases:

> Phase 1 (9pm to 6am)

Monday, October 2 to Thursday, October 5 (Eastbound)

> Phase 2 (9pm to 6am)

Monday, October 23 to Tuesday, October 24 (Eastbound)

Wednesday, October 25 to Friday, October 27 (Westbound)

Eastbound traffic will be diverted via the A603 at Cardington and A1 northbound to join the A1 at Black Cat Roundabout. A421 westbound traffic will follow the same route in reverse.

National Highways will be hosting public information events offering information about the scheme, the first of which will be at Roxton Garden Centre on Bedford Road, Roxton, on Wednesday, October 4 from 10am to 2pm. These public information events will continue until March 20 2024.

Other locations, dates and times can be found here.

Further information about the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements is available here