Mayor visits £1bn A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements, hailing project as key to getting the region moving

Mayor visits £1bn A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements, hailing project as key to getting the region moving

Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, visited the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements site to see progress on the £1bn road scheme set to speed up journeys in the region. The improvements will provide better connections across the region, allowing residents travelling between Cambridge, Cambourne and St Neots a smoother journey, whilst also linking Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire, and key national routes such as the A1 and M1.

It is one of the largest road infrastructure schemes in the country and will deliver a new 10-mile dual carriageway, along with major upgrades to the Black Cat and Caxton Gibbet junctions, addressing long-standing issues of heavy traffic and frequent delays. It is expected to open to traffic in 2027.

Once complete, journeys at peak times are expected to be cut by 10 minutes. This will save road users an hour and a half in travel time over a working week. It will also ease congestion, improve safety, and remove over 4,000 vehicles a day from the current A428 as well as helping to take traffic off of the roads that connect villages in the south of our region such as Eltisley, Croxton, and Yelling.

The new dual carriageway will also form a key link to east coast ports like Felixstowe and Harwich, improving freight access and supporting economic growth across the region.

Paul Bristow said:

“Upgrading the A428 is a vital and will be a welcome improvement for our region. It will provide safer, faster, and more reliable journeys for everyone who uses this route. This is major infrastructure being delivered on our doorstep and I’ll be staying in close touch with National Highways as it progresses.

This scheme is not just about improving journeys – better roads connect people to jobs, attract investment and boost our economy. More upgrades like dualling the A10 and A47 are all part of my plan to get Cambridgeshire and Peterborough moving.”

Gareth Moores, National Highways Programme Manager, said:

“We were delighted to welcome Paul to the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements site for a tour. The scheme is a vital part of improving journeys and connectivity in the region, and it’s a pleasure to showcase the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. The visit was a great opportunity to share our progress and highlight the benefits this scheme will bring to local communities, businesses, and road users.”

National Highways A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements page: https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/a428-black-cat-to-caxton-gibbet/