New A14 bypass to open a year early

Fleet operators will benefit from a brand new dual carriageway in the East of England, opening a full year ahead of schedule in December 2019.

The 12-mile A14 bypass is part of a wider 21 mile scheme in Cambridgeshire, which is expected to save drivers up to 20 minutes per journey.

It will also support the whole UK by boosting access to and from the country’s biggest and busiest container port at Felixstowe.

Roads Minister Baroness Vere said: “This government is committed to delivering an infrastructure revolution and it’s fantastic that a key section of this vital route will be delivered a year ahead of schedule, helping people travelling in the east of England get to their destination quickly and safely.

“The A14 upgrade will not only improve the experience for local drivers but will also boost access between the region’s ports and the West Midlands – a key logistics hub.”

The bypass is part of a £1.5 billion project to upgrade 21 miles of the A14 in Cambridgeshire, the biggest upgrade of its kind in the UK.

Highways England project director David Bray said: “As well as a significant improvement for drivers, this major milestone will start to realise some of the benefits of the upgrade for residents and communities along the A14 too.

“And it will mean that we are able to start work sooner on the improvements we are making to local roads in and around Huntingdon as we start to dismantle the old viaduct over the train station, which will be a real boost for local communities.”

The full project remains on track to open to traffic by the end of 2020.

The opening of the bypass follows confirmation last week that 18 new road schemes have been given the go ahead by the Department for Transport, in addition to the £25.3 billion that has already been committed for investment in the strategic road network between 2020 and 2025.