A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements

We’re upgrading the route between the Black Cat roundabout and Caxton Gibbet roundabout with a new 10-mile dual carriageway and a number of junction improvements. This billion pound scheme will improve journeys between Milton Keynes and Cambridge, bringing communities together and supporting long term growth in the region.

We plan to move into full construction by the end of the year and expect the road to open in 2027.

You can find out more in our About the scheme page and watch our short scheme video.

Find out more

About the scheme

Find out more about the scheme and what we're proposing.

Benefits

Safety

Improve safety at junctions, side roads and private accesses by reducing traffic flows on the existing A428.

Economic growth

Enable growth in jobs and housing and improve connections between people and jobs.

Connectivity

We will cut journey times by more than a third at peak times between Black Cat and Caxton Gibbet junctions.

Community

Improving the safety of horse riders, cyclists, walkers and connecting communities.

What’s happening now?

Planning permission (called a development consent order) was granted by the Secretary of State back in August 2022 and we have been busy preparing for construction.

We had planned to start construction in late 2022, however Transport Action Network (TAN) submitted an application to the high court and court of appeal for permission for a judicial review of the Secretary of State’s decision to grant the A428 development consent order. The court of appeal refused TAN’s application to appeal the refusal of permission for a judicial review. This means that the legal process is now over, and we can start working towards construction.

Unfortunately, the legal challenge has disrupted our construction timetable and the start of work has been delayed. We are keen to get started as soon as possible, so you will see us continue preparatory works including archaeology, environmental surveys and diverting utilities as we get ready for full construction.

We plan to move into full construction by the end of the year and expect the road to open in 2027.

Visit our development consent order page to understand more about the process we go through before construction can begin.

This short video shows how road schemes are developed from instruction to construction

Latest news

£2 million legacy fund launched to help local initiatives

November 2023 - £2 million legacy fund on the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet will support not-for-profit groups in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

See all news for this scheme

New animation tells storied history of Black Cat roundabout

October 2023 - To celebrate the junction's past, National Highways has released a new animation showcasing the history of the Black Cat roundabout.

Early work to begin on A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements

September 2023 - To facilitate early construction activities, overnight closures during the week are scheduled on the A421 between between the Black Cat roundabout and Renhold junction from Monday 2 October.

Contact us

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact us:

Phone: 0300 123 5000

Email: info@A428.co.uk

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