New road opens as part of £1billion Black Cat upgrade
In the latest stage of the £1 billion improvements between the Black Cat roundabout and Caxton Gibbet, a new road opened today (Tuesday).
Baron Way and Dove Farm Lane will provide a vital new link between Roxton Road and The Lane in Wyboston – creating safer access to the A1/A421 Black Cat roundabout. It will also pick up traffic from Nagshead Lane and Chawston Lane.
This follows the opening of the new Roxton Road bridge in early May which we revealed earlier this year.
The new bridge has been purpose-built to accommodate new westbound slip road and an eastbound free-flow link between the A421 and the A1.
National Highway’s £1 billion scheme started in late 2023. A 10-mile dual carriageway is being created, linking the A1/A421 Black Cat roundabout with the A428 Caxton Gibbet roundabout. Both existing roundabouts will be upgraded into modern, free-flowing junctions. A new junction will also be added at Cambridge Road, improving access to St Neots and its train station.
This new dual carriageway will replace the final stretch of single carriageway on the strategic road network between the M1 at Milton Keynes and the east coast ports of Harwich and Felixstowe.
At peak times, drivers will save up to 10 minutes per journey – adding up to 1.5 hours every working week – with the scheme expected to open to traffic in spring 2027.
Tom Wootton, Bedford mayor, said: “This scheme will be a huge boost to commuters and residents living and working in the borough, improving both safety and connectivity.
“There’s also a nod to the area’s history, with Baron Way being named in honour of the last family to reside in the nearby Brook Cottages, and Dove Farm Lane getting its name from the adjacent farm.”
Lee Galloway, National Highways project director, said: “The opening of this new road is a significant step forward for our scheme and will make a real difference to people living and working in the area. By providing this new connection, we are improving safety and creating a more reliable link for drivers heading towards the Black Cat roundabout.”
As part of this change, National Highways will permanently close the direct access points from The Lane, Nagshead Lane, and Chawston Lane on to the A1 northbound. These junctions were previously identified as a safety risk due to their layout, which required vehicles to merge directly from local roads into fast-moving traffic on the A1.
Lee added: “This is the one of many milestones to come as our work continues building a new dual carriageway and junction upgrades that will connect communities, unlock economic opportunities, and make every day travel quicker, safer, and more reliable for thousands of people.”