Approval has been granted for construction to begin on the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin gave the go ahead for the £1.5 billion project yesterday, 11 May.

Main construction works are scheduled to begin later this year.

The 21-mile scheme will include a major new bypass of Huntingdon between Swavesey and Brampton, 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.


In addition, improvements will be carried out in Huntingdon Town Centre to include the demolition of the A14 viaduct and a new local access road.

A planning application for the project was submitted in December last year.

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

Chris Taylor, Director for Complex Infrastructure at Highways England and leading the scheme, said the project will provide much needed additional capacity on the route.

"We are keen to keep the momentum going and will get preparations for construction underway as soon as possible after the end of the 6 week statutory challenge period," he said.

(LM)