Press release

National Highways announces new road numbers for A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet scheme

Development Consent Order application progresses to next round of hearings

From:
National Highways
Published
16 September 2021

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.

The A428 scheme, which proposes a new ten-mile dual carriageway from the Black Cat Roundabout on the A1 through to Caxton Gibbet junction in addition to a number of new junctions and improvements, is currently going through its Development Consent Order examination process. The scheme, if given the go ahead by the Secretary of State for Transport once the examination process has been completed, will improve journeys between Milton Keynes and Cambridge, bringing communities together and supporting long term growth in the region.

Development Consent Order - upcoming examination hearings

With the examination process entering its second month soon, the next round of hearings has been announced. They will be held next week on 22, 23 and 24 September with a reserved hearing date on 28 September, if needed.

National Highways is today publishing the agenda for the hearings, so that people can listen in when their topics of interest are discussed, including: archaeology, noise, and traffic effects in the surrounding area.

Compulsory Acquisition Hearing (CAH1) - Wednesday 22 September 2021 - 1:00pm

Matters relating to the powers sought for Compulsory Acquisition (CA) and Temporary Possession (TP)

  1. The case for CA and TP
  2. Site specific matters
  3. Statutory Undertakers’ land
  4. Crown land
  5. Funding
  6. Draft Development Consent Order dDCO provisions

Issue Specific Hearing (ISH2) - Thursday 23 September 2021 - 10:00am

Highway matters including the dDCO

  1. Need for the proposed development
  2. Traffic effects on the nearby highway network
  3. Highway layouts and structures
  4. Effects on Non-Motorised Users
  5. Outline construction traffic management plan
  6. Noise and air quality
  7. dDCO

Issue Specific Hearing (ISH3) - Friday 24 September 2021 - 10:00am

Social, economic and environmental matters including the dDCO

  1. Assessment of alternatives
  2. Heritage matters, including listed building and archaeology
  3. Landscape effects
  4. Biodiversity including Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) matters
  5. Land use, including loss of Best and Most Versatile land
  6. Flood risk
  7. Wider construction effects, including borrow pits
  8. Sustainability effects, in particular economic effects
  9. dDCO

Tuesday 28 September 2021 - 10:00am (Reserved hearing date)

  • Issue Specific Hearing or Open Floor Hearing

The hearings are being carried out virtually. You can listen in via livestream by visiting the Planning Inspectorate’s website where a link to join will be posted shortly before the hearings begin.

Links to the hearings will also be shared from the A428 Facebook and Twitter pages. The recordings of the meetings will also be posted on the Planning Inspectorate’s website shortly after they have finished, to allow you to listen in if you can’t join live.

For the latest information about the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements:    

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

Published 16 September 2021

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