Major works to start on £1.5bn A14 scheme

Highways England will start main construction work on the £1.5 billion upgrade of the A14 in November.   

A series of public information events are being held at various locations along the route to give people a chance to meet the team who will be delivering the improvements and find out more about Britain’s biggest road upgrade.

The project will upgrade 21 miles of the A14, adding additional capacity and cutting up to 20 minutes off journeys. It will include a major new bypass for Huntingdon, widening the A1 between Brampton and Alconbury, widening the existing A14 between Swavesey and Milton and improving the junctions at Bar Hill, Swavesey, Girton, Histon and Milton. There will also be improvements in Huntingdon town centre, including the demolition of the A14 viaduct and a new local access road.

Highways England strategic stakeholder manager, Mike Evans, said: “The A14 upgrade is a vital improvement for people in the East of England and the economy as a whole. It will relieve congestion, unlock growth and connect communities. This will be the first real opportunity since the decision was announced for us as a team to get out and speak to the public and give them information.

“Anyone who has an interest in the scheme is welcome and people will be able to see what we plan to do over the next four years.”

The main construction work will begin in November 2016, on the A1 near Brampton.

The new bypass and widened A14 will open to traffic in 2020, although some finishing work such as the removal of the A14 viaduct in Huntingdon will continue beyond that.