The £1bn highway that is the UK’s costliest linking the ‘finest’ metropolis with the ‘worst’ | UK | News | EUROtoday

Work is properly underway on constructing the UK’s costliest highway that can join among the best cities to one of many “worst”.

National Highways £1billion improve of the A428 will see the development of a brand new 10-mile twin carriageway between the Black Cat roundabout in Bedfordshire and the Caxton Gibbet roundabout in Cambridgeshire to cut back congestion and enhance security.

The highway is at present plagued with delays, significantly throughout rush hour with drivers having an absence of different routes.

National Highways estimates the improve scheme will minimize journey occasions by greater than a 3rd at peak occasions, saving drivers as much as 10 minutes.

The variety of automobiles utilizing the highway every day is anticipated to rise from round 25,300 to 32,900 by 2040 attributable to new housing and jobs.

Milton Keynes has been named one of many worst locations to reside within the UK quite a few occasions, whereas Cambridge has been named among the best locations to reside. More than 105,000 forged their votes a survey run by the satirical iLivehere web site and MK emerged as quantity 35 on the worst place checklist in 2023.

Meanwhile Condé Nast Traveller named Cambridge the very best place to reside in 2022, knocking London off high spot. As a part of the brand new building, a number of junctions may also be improved, and entry can be enhanced to the St Neots and its railway station.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper stated: “I’m delighted we have marked the start of works on the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet project, a huge investment by the Government to grow the economy in the region and reduce congestion for drivers.

“This Government is backing drivers by investing in much-needed highway initiatives like this, utilizing financial savings from HS2 to resurface roads throughout the nation and introducing a long-term Plan for Drivers to slam the brakes on anti-car measures.”

Much of the new dual carriageway will run through the South Cambridgeshire constituency of transport minister Anthony Browne, who marked the start of construction by breaking ground on the project on Tuesday.

He told the PA news agency: “I drive alongside these roads daily just about, and there’s a number of congestion right here. People round listed below are so supportive for getting this dualling. They’re very glad to see it lastly taking place. f you hit the fallacious time of day barely or one thing will get barely blocked up, you then could be caught for 20 minutes.”

Construction was due to begin in late 2022, but was delayed by sustainable transport campaign group Transport Action Network seeking permission to apply for a judicial review of Mr Harper’s decision to approve the scheme, over concerns about how climate change and nature were considered. The Court of Appeal refused the application in May.

National Highways executive director for major projects Nicola Bell said the start of construction on the A428 project was “a momentous event”.