A428 Black Cat - Caxton Gibbet improvement

[trickstat]

Why is it undemocratic? One could argue it is undemocratic for NH to spend our money without asking permission!

Making punitive fines against people who bring legal challenges against government projects is undemocratic because it punishes a legitimate means of democratic opposition to a project, and would punish it to a degree that would effectively make it impossible. Making opposition to a government impossible is a hallmark of totalitarianism.

You don't have to like TAN or the legal challenges they brought, but objecting to the fact that you can take the government to court is objecting to the mechanics of a democracy.

(You can't argue it's undemocratic for NH to spend "our" money without asking permission, because they are directed to spend it by the government, who are acting with a democratic mandate.)

Imposing these kind of potential sanctions would put people off trying to take the Government to court over past events like contaminated blood transfusion and radiation exposure during nuclear tests.

[jackal]

I see the issue as one of it taking so long for the challenge to be resolved. Even when there was no valid case. I think that's mostly because of the time taken waiting for court dates. I wonder if this could be speeded up by having a dedicated court system for reviewing DCOs.

Ding ding, we have a winner. Utility companies have their own court system so why not road (or rail etc)? It would be much more obviously in the public interest, and very cost effective given the tens of millions currently lost on single schemes.

[Chris56000]

Drove past today, the Travelodge at Black Cat in the process of being demolished.

Anyone got a picture?

It's still showing up as "live" on "Booking.com" and TripAdvisor!

When was it's closure date?

Chris Williams

[Alderpoint]

Drove past today, the Travelodge at Black Cat in the process of being demolished.

Anyone got a picture?
It's still showing up as "live" on "Booking.com" and TripAdvisor!
When was it's closure date?

There was a post on the A428 FB page recently of a fire service exercise using the building:
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=73 ... 2207520000

[Bryn666]

I see the issue as one of it taking so long for the challenge to be resolved. Even when there was no valid case. I think that's mostly because of the time taken waiting for court dates. I wonder if this could be speeded up by having a dedicated court system for reviewing DCOs.

Ding ding, we have a winner. Utility companies have their own court system so why not road (or rail etc)? It would be much more obviously in the public interest, and very cost effective given the tens of millions currently lost on single schemes.

If we took major projects seriously we'd have a National Infrastructure Commission which deals with all these things. As the HS2 fiasco has shown, leaving major decisions that have decades long ramifications in the hands of vote chasers like this government is why we have some of the worst infrastructure on the developed side of the planet.

[owen b]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/work ... bbet-route

"Upgrades to the iconic Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet route on the A428 started today (12 December 2023) following £1 billion of government investment to reduce congestion and improve journey times, boosting economic growth across the region.....

In a significant milestone for the project, Transport Minister, Anthony Browne, broke ground on the project today to mark the main start of construction."

[Truvelo]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/work ... bbet-route

"Upgrades to the iconic Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet route on the A428 started today (12 December 2023) following £1 billion of government investment to reduce congestion and improve journey times, boosting economic growth across the region.....

In a significant milestone for the project, Transport Minister, Anthony Browne, broke ground on the project today to mark the main start of construction."

Which hopefully means this scheme has past the point of no return and will now be completed. Nothing can stop it.

[roadtester]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/work ... bbet-route

"Upgrades to the iconic Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet route on the A428 started today (12 December 2023) following £1 billion of government investment to reduce congestion and improve journey times, boosting economic growth across the region.....

In a significant milestone for the project, Transport Minister, Anthony Browne, broke ground on the project today to mark the main start of construction."

This was on the short ITV Anglia news bulletin this morning. They just said that work had started on Black Cat but were frustratingly vague on what that meant specifically.

Very good to see a bit of progress, though!

PS there was a longish report on this on this evening’s BBC Look East, which should be easy to find. But be quick - I don’t think it stays up for long!

[A303Chris]

Official National Highways press release is here

[SouthWest Philip]

Official National Highways press release is here

So definitely not a rumour then! I would again suggest we edit the thread title to A421 Black Cat to Camborne improvement

[owen b]

Official National Highways press release is here

That takes you to the same press release as the link I posted yesterday five posts upthread .

I tend to look at both the National Highways news page : https://nationalhighways.co.uk/press/
and filter for the Department of Transport on the gov.uk page : https://www.gov.uk/search/all?organisat ... -transport

Sometimes the same press releases are on both sites.

[roadtester]

Here's a link to the BBC Look East report from last night.

It's at 13:17.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m ... s-12122023

As I said before, though, be quick - I think it gets taken down at at 6.30 or 7 pm this evening to be replaced by this evening's show.

[B1040]

For a while there has been a mobile announcement screen on the southbound A1 near Paxton predicting hold ups that so far have been mercifully non existent.

[NICK 647063]

Had to scroll a long way back to find this topic, not getting much discussion for a live project!

Anyway passed last week I have to say the thatched cottage at Wyboston looks bizarre currently stood there isolated with nothing around it all vegetation removed, it’s looks almost like it’s to be taken down and moved rather than demolished……

Also not sure if this has been mentioned but obviously the new road is to be numbered A421, I asked the question to the team if the remaining section to the A14/M11 would be renumbered, as it would be odd changing numbers at the A1198, especially considering it’s a free flow GSJ for the A421, anyway they confirmed the existing A428 will be renumbered the A421 to the A14/M11.

[owen b]

Had to scroll a long way back to find this topic, not getting much discussion for a live project!

Anyway passed last week I have to say the thatched cottage at Wyboston looks bizarre currently stood there isolated with nothing around it all vegetation removed, it’s looks almost like it’s to be taken down and moved rather than demolished……

Also not sure if this has been mentioned but obviously the new road is to be numbered A421, I asked the question to the team if the remaining section to the A14/M11 would be renumbered, as it would be odd changing numbers at the A1198, especially considering it’s a free flow GSJ for the A421, anyway they confirmed the existing A428 will be renumbered the A421 to the A14/M11.

I also passed that way on Maundy Thursday, from the A421 eastbound to the A1 northbound. There were narrow lanes approaching Black Cat and reduced speed limits all the way from the approach to Black Cat to past the A428 St. Neots turn, but thankfully no more than the usual delays with two lanes remaining open for that movement and not a huge amount to report so far.

Current diversions, closures, and speed restrictions are detailed here : https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-road ... trictions/
Looking at the diagram of the new layout of Black Cat roundabout, southbound A1 to westbound A421 has been reduced to one lane so I expect that movement will be much more significantly disrupted.

[Chris Bertram]

Had to scroll a long way back to find this topic, not getting much discussion for a live project!

Anyway passed last week I have to say the thatched cottage at Wyboston looks bizarre currently stood there isolated with nothing around it all vegetation removed, it’s looks almost like it’s to be taken down and moved rather than demolished……

Also not sure if this has been mentioned but obviously the new road is to be numbered A421, I asked the question to the team if the remaining section to the A14/M11 would be renumbered, as it would be odd changing numbers at the A1198, especially considering it’s a free flow GSJ for the A421, anyway they confirmed the existing A428 will be renumbered the A421 to the A14/M11.

So that will be its third number, remembering that it was originally A45.

[KeithW]

Had to scroll a long way back to find this topic, not getting much discussion for a live project!

Anyway passed last week I have to say the thatched cottage at Wyboston looks bizarre currently stood there isolated with nothing around it all vegetation removed, it’s looks almost like it’s to be taken down and moved rather than demolished……

Also not sure if this has been mentioned but obviously the new road is to be numbered A421, I asked the question to the team if the remaining section to the A14/M11 would be renumbered, as it would be odd changing numbers at the A1198, especially considering it’s a free flow GSJ for the A421, anyway they confirmed the existing A428 will be renumbered the A421 to the A14/M11.

So that will be its third number, remembering that it was originally A45.

It was only the A45 as far as the A1, from there the old A45 went through a clutch of minor roads through Higham Ferrets to Wellingborough, Billing and Northampton. It was not so much a route as the aspiration of a route. The best routes back then were as I recall the A603 to Bedford and then the A428 or the A604 to Kettering and A6 to Leicester. As far as I know the sign at the A1 at Buckden still says Car Transporters banned at Kimbolton.

See the once mighty A45 in all its majesty.
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.2964202 ... &entry=ttu

It did however have a GSJ with the A1 here
https://www.google.com/maps/place/St+Ne ... &entry=ttu



As for the A1198 it was of course originally the A14 from Royston to Huntingdon.

[jackal]

Also not sure if this has been mentioned but obviously the new road is to be numbered A421, I asked the question to the team if the remaining section to the A14/M11 would be renumbered, as it would be odd changing numbers at the A1198, especially considering it’s a free flow GSJ for the A421, anyway they confirmed the existing A428 will be renumbered the A421 to the A14/M11.

We've known for a couple of years that the new road would be A421 (see below). We were assuming the A428 east of the A1198 would also become A421 though this wasn't announced at the time.

From National Highways

A 10-mile section of new road to be delivered as part of a proposed major upgrade in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire is set to be named A421, National Highways has announced today (16 September 2021) as the examination process continues to progress.



When the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements scheme opens in 2025/2026, the new dual carriageway will become an extension of the existing A421, which currently stops at the Black Cat Roundabout, through to Caxton Gibbet junction.

The existing A428 will also be renumbered in two sections as it changes from part of the strategic road network to become two local roads. The existing A428 will become the A1428 between Great North Road in St Neots and Cambridge Road junction. From Cambridge Road junction to Caxton Gibbet the existing A428 will become the B1428, continuing the existing B1428 which passes through St Neots further west.

It doesn't say whether the bit from Caxton to Cambridge will also be renumbered...

[NICK 647063]

Also not sure if this has been mentioned but obviously the new road is to be numbered A421, I asked the question to the team if the remaining section to the A14/M11 would be renumbered, as it would be odd changing numbers at the A1198, especially considering it’s a free flow GSJ for the A421, anyway they confirmed the existing A428 will be renumbered the A421 to the A14/M11.

We've known for a couple of years that the new road would be A421 (see below). We were assuming the A428 east of the A1198 would also become A421 though this wasn't announced at the time.

From National Highways

A 10-mile section of new road to be delivered as part of a proposed major upgrade in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire is set to be named A421, National Highways has announced today (16 September 2021) as the examination process continues to progress.



When the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements scheme opens in 2025/2026, the new dual carriageway will become an extension of the existing A421, which currently stops at the Black Cat Roundabout, through to Caxton Gibbet junction.

The existing A428 will also be renumbered in two sections as it changes from part of the strategic road network to become two local roads. The existing A428 will become the A1428 between Great North Road in St Neots and Cambridge Road junction. From Cambridge Road junction to Caxton Gibbet the existing A428 will become the B1428, continuing the existing B1428 which passes through St Neots further west.

It doesn't say whether the bit from Caxton to Cambridge will also be renumbered...

Yes that’s it, I remember reading that but nowhere did they state about the eastern section to Cambridge, I just asked the question and took them a couple of months but gave me a response.

[AAndy]

I missed all this.... I thought something must have been going on a few months ago cause they were razing the grounds beside the A428 a mile or 2 before it becomes D2 again...... its in this video: https://youtu.be/XEFbKu34YUg which goes all the way from the A1 to the A14 .... they have begun works!!!