£1bn Black Cat scheme gets green light

19/08/2022 | CHRIS AMES

Transport secretary Grant Shapps has granted a Development Consent Order (DCO) for National Highways to begin work on the much-delayed A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet scheme, which is due to cost nearly £1bn.

The scheme will see the creation of a new 10-mile dual carriageway linking the A1 Black Cat roundabout in Bedfordshire to the A428 Caxton Gibbet roundabout in Cambridgeshire.

Both roundabouts will be upgraded into free-flowing junctions with a new junction added at Cambridge Road, improving access to St Neots and its train station.

National Highways said the project, which is currently priced at £810m to £950m, will help drivers save up to an hour and a half every week at what it called ‘one of the region’s most notorious congestion hotspots’.

Project director Lee Galloway said: ‘This announcement is a major milestone, not only for us, but also for the many local communities who have long campaigned for improvements, as well as our stakeholders who we’ve been working with for several years.'

Dave Hodgson, mayor of Bedford Borough, said: ‘It’s great to see that we have passed another important milestone for the upgraded route.’

The scheme was first announced by the Coalition Government in 2014 and formed part of the first (2015-20) Road Investment Strategy (RIS).

When it was announced in 2018 that the start of the scheme had been put back to 2021-22, Mr Hodgson slammed the delay as ‘costly for businesses and desperately disappointing for motorists’.

In its latest announcement, National Highways said it ‘aims to start construction later this year’.

The Infrastructure and Projects Authority’s Annual Report on Major Projects 2021-22 gave the project an ‘amber’ rating - meaning delivery is feasible but there are significant issues.

Spending data released by the Department for Transport in relation to the report noted that the scheme had underspent by £20m (42%) against budget, noting: ‘The DCO application was submitted later than anticipated to allow the incorporation of lessons learnt from other unsuccessful applications. The DCO examination also started later than expected due to a longer DCO pre-examination period imposed by PINS.’

It added: ‘As a result, the programme was rephased and the spike associated with the commencement of construction, budgeted in 2021/22 will now occur in the following year, subject to the DCO being granted in August 2022.’

In its recent Annual Assessment of National Highways, the Office of Rail and Road disclosed that the scheme was one of two that had their start of works targets deferred and were classified as ‘missed commitments’.

It noted that the government-owned company gave reasons for missing its commitments, but stated: ‘National Highways should have foreseen these issues and mitigated them beforehand.’

The Black Cat roundabout will be upgraded to a triple deck junction

AECOM technical director Phil Wayles said: ‘AECOM’s multidisciplinary teams have worked collaboratively with National Highways and other project partners for over five and a half years and led delivery of the preliminary design and DCO statutory process stages.

‘This significant milestone has been achieved through amazing teamwork to meet the many challenges of the DCO process.’

Highways InProfile

latest magazine issue
Highways jobs

Principal Transport Planner (Strategy)

£46,731-£49,764
We are looking for an experienced professional to join North Northamptonshire Council as a Principal Transport Planner (Strategy). Sheerness House, 41 Meadow Road, Kettering moving to Haylock House, Kettering Parkway, Kettering NN15 6EY, United Kingdom
Recruiter: North Northamptonshire Council

Highways Capital Delivery Manager

£50,788 - £52,805
To be responsible for the implementation of Welsh Government’s Renewal and Upgrade programme. Baglan, Port Talbot
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Senior Engineer x 2

£47,532 –£55,620 per annum
Our people are deeply committed to providing excellent services to our residents, doing all we can to make lives as good as they can be. Hounslow (City/Town), London (Greater)
Recruiter: Hounslow London Borough Council

Electrical Design Engineer

Grade 9 £34,314 to £37,938 - Grade 10 £37,035 to £40,476 - Grade 11 £39,513 to £43,693 - Grade 12 £42,708 to £46,731 p.a.
The Construction Consultancy Services (CCS) team provide client-side construction consultancy services across a range of professional disciplines to d Durham
Recruiter: Durham County Council

Park Operations Assistant - Thorndon Country Park

Up to £12540.50 per annum
This is a permanent, part time position on an annualised hours contract. This means you will be contracted to work a minimum of 964.59 hours per yea England, Essex, Brentwood
Recruiter: Essex County Council

Senior Highways Engineer

£50,754 – £53,607 per annum
Our people are deeply committed to providing excellent services to our residents, doing all we can to make lives as good as they can be. Hounslow (City/Town), London (Greater)
Recruiter: Hounslow London Borough Council

Highways Capital Lead

£47,754 - £50,788
To be responsible for management of the Regional Highway Capital Delivery Teams South Wales
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Senior Development Management Engineer

£37,938 - £44,711
In line with our One Coventry Values, we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce Coventry, West Midlands
Recruiter: Coventry City Council

Head of Highways

£66,366 - £85,284 pa
Highway Operations is a large division within the Planning, Growth & Infrastructure. Enfield (City/Town), London (Greater)
Recruiter: Enfield London Borough Council

Director Highways, Transport & Waste Management

up to £120k
There for Nottinghamshire. There for each other. There for you. Nottinghamshire
Recruiter: Nottinghamshire County Council

Director of Highways and Transportation

£126,909
We’re seeking a dynamic and innovative leader to spearhead our Highways and Transportation services. Essex
Recruiter: Essex County Council

Senior Structures Technician

£32,654 - £36,124 plus circa £2000 - £4000 OT (variable
To lead on the planning, delivery and reporting of the highway structures General Inspection programme. Baglan, Port Talbot
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Assistant Director of Place Operations

£85,962 to £93,267
Bury is a proud and prosperous borough Bury, Greater Manchester
Recruiter: Bury Council

Career Grade Transport Planner (Carer Grade 6-8)

Grade 06 (£29,093 - £32,654) TO Grade 08 (£37,938 - £41,511)
This is a fantastic opportunity to work for a forward thinking and dynamic transport authority located in the heart of the North West Warrington, Cheshire
Recruiter: Warrington Borough Council

Principal Performance and Assurance Manager

£Competitive
We have an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated Principal Performance and Assurance Manager to join our Senior Management Team SBIM Avonmouth, Bristol
Recruiter: Amey

Principal Construction Manager

£Competitive
We are excited to offer a fantastic opportunity for a Permanent Principal Construction Manager to join our dynamic Area 12 West Yorkshire
Recruiter: Amey

Electrician

£Competitive
We are excited to offer a fantastic opportunity for two Permanent Electricians Tingley, Wakefield
Recruiter: Amey

Principal Engineer – Structures Capital Delivery

£43,693 - £47,754
To act as one of the Agent's technical experts for highway structures schemes and related issues South Wales
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Senior Engineer Programme Management

£36,124 - £39,513
To support the Principal Engineer ensuring effective co-ordination, programming and contract administration. South Wales
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Senior Engineer – Structures Delivery

£36,124 - £39,513
To support the Principal Engineer Structures (Capital Works) and deputise if necessary South Wales
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Latest Video

Subscribe to Highways today to ensure you keep your finger on the pulse of everything happening in the UK road network throughout the year.

SUBSCRIBE NOW