A421 Wootton to Marston Moretaine noise barrier and streetlight work

We’re replacing 1,500 metres (1 mile) of noise barrier on the A421 between Wootton and Marston Moretaine. This will reduce road noise and glare from local network roads. We’re also replacing the existing lights with energy-efficient LED lighting to reduce our carbon emissions and save the taxpayer money by lowering electricity costs.  

Start date 20 February 2023
End date Summer 2024
Cost £5,600,000

Latest updates

  • 13 November 2023

    Work is about to restart

    We are about restart work, with the next phase lasting from Monday 27 November 2023 until Friday 23 February 2024.

    We will be working overnight between 8pm and 6am on weeknights only, weather permitting. This work will include drilling so that we can install the new concrete beams to then fit the new noise fence panels to. 

    Closures and diversions 

    To carry out the work safely, we will need to close the A421 eastbound between Marston Moretaine and the Marsh Leys Interchange, with traffic diverted as detailed below: 

    • Drivers will be diverted onto the old A421 Woburn Road and Bedford Road (see map 1)
    • Lower Shelton Road will be closed for the duration of these works with a local diversion via Beancroft Road and Bedford Road. (see map 2)

    We thank you for your patience, and apologise for any noise and disturbance caused by our work. 

    Diversion maps

    Map 1

    Wooton map 1

    Map 2

    Wooton map 2The final phase of work 

    The final section of this work is the longer, westbound stretch of the A421. We expect to begin this work in January 2024, with part of it running concurrently with the eastbound stretch.  

    For the westbound section, we will not need to close the A421 each night. Instead, we will have two overnight closures on a weekend to install narrow lanes, after which we will have a reduced speed limit of 60mph whilst we are working.  

    In addition to the closures mentioned, there will also be temporary traffic lights on C94 Bedford Road around Marston Moretaine. Please expect some delays. 

    We plan to complete this work in late summer 2024. 

    Lighting replacement work 

    Separate to our work on the noise barrier, we are also replacing streetlights along the A421 at three locations: 

    • Near the Salford Road junction with junction 13 of the M1
    • At the Hardwick junction
    • At the Renhold junction

    We will do this work between Monday 27 November 2023 and Wednesday 31 January 2024, working overnight from 8pm to 6am on weeknights only. For safety, we will need to close on a lane on the A421 at these locations whilst we are working. 

    We’re replacing the existing lights with energy-efficient LED lighting to reduce our carbon emissions and save the taxpayer money by lowering electricity costs.  

  • 19 July 2023

    Works paused until 31 July 2023

    Work on the A421 Wootton to Marston Moretaine noise barrier installation will recommence on 31 July.

    The eastbound carriageway between Marston and Marsh Leys is closed between 8pm and 6am on weeknights only.

    This closure will continue until 29 September 2023.

  • 31 May 2023

    Upcoming A421 Closures

    Work on the A421 Wootton to Marston Moretaine noise barrier installation started again on Tuesday 09 May.

    The eastbound carriageway between Marston and Marsh Leys is closed, between 8pm and 6am on weeknights only.

    This will continue to be closed until Friday 09 June.

    Diversions

    Eastbound

    During the closures, drivers will use the old A421 Woburn Road and Bedford Road before re-joining the A421 to the south of Kempston.

    Westbound

    During the closures, drivers will be diverted onto the A6 east from just south of Elstow to Clophill.

    They will then travel along the A507 west through Ampthill to re-join the A421 at junction 13 of the M1.

See more updates

Project information

Overview

We’ll replace all sections of noise barrier at Lower Shelton, Wootton and Marston Moretaine with steel posts and composite panels.

The new fence will remove glare from local roads, reduce road noise and the view of traffic from nearby housing.

We’re also replacing the existing lights with energy-efficient LED lighting to reduce our carbon emissions and save the taxpayer money by lowering electricity costs.  

The composite panels of the new barrier will be made from recycled waste material, reducing plastics going to landfill and noise along the A421.

The new barrier will have a life span of 30 years or more. It will also reduce the risk of glare from the A421 onto local roads.

We’re also replacing the existing lights with energy-efficient LED lighting to reduce our carbon emissions and save the taxpayer money by lowering electricity costs.  

A421 road closures will take place overnight on weeknights only.

We will keep westbound closures to a minimum by using 24-hour temporary traffic lights on Bedford Road and a reduced speed limit on the A421.

There will be no closures over Black Friday, Christmas and New Year, Easter, and the early May bank holiday.

A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet

We’re proposing to upgrade the A428 between the A1 Black Cat roundabout and the A428 Caxton Gibbet roundabout with a new 10-mile dual carriageway.

Both existing roundabouts will be upgraded to modern, free-flowing junctions with a new junction at Cambridge Road.

This will improve journeys between Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge, bringing communities together and supporting long term growth in the region. Construction is due to start towards the end of the year with the road opening in 2026.

Other works

We recently laid new, skid-resistant surfacing on the slip roads of the A421 at the Barford Road A4280 interchange.

We are currently clearing vegetation at various locations on the A421 south of Bedford, using lane closures.

In January we will be upgrading the A421 Salford Road junction by the M1 to add capacity

 

 

 

 

Documents

Traffic information

Information about scheduled roadworks and events on our motorways and major roads.

Contact us

0300 123 5000

X

Sign up for updates!

Keep up to date with what's happening on this scheme by signing up to our updates.

Find out more

Feedback