Is the Black Cat roundabout near St Neots open or closed?

We will provide details of roadworks and road closures on the A1, A421 and A428 over the coming months. 

What you can expect to see:

The A1, A421 and A428 will mainly remain open for the duration of the works.

There will be occasional overnight closures and full weekend closures as National Highways contractors connect the new and existing roads, build bridges, and unload sizeable items of equipment or materials.

Current updates

Overnight closures of Roxton Road and Bedford Road

NH will be completing vegetation clearance work on Roxton Road and Bedford Road.

This work activity will facilitate the construction of the realignment of the Roxton Road bridge and Bedford Road at the Black Cat roundabout.

For safety reasons the vegetation clearance works will be carried out under an overnight closure at the following locations:

Roxton Road to the junction with Bedford Road on Monday, April 22, 9pm – Tuesday, April 23, 5am.

The planned closure of Bedford Road from the Roxton Garden Centre to the Black Cat roundabout on Tuesday, April 23 has been postponed.

The vegetation work is monitored by an ecologist who is on site as work progresses through the night.

During the road closures, local access to residential properties will be maintained. and NH says it will do its best to complete the work as quickly as possible, however all dates are subject to change due to weather and operational requirements. 

Diversion routes

Roxton Road closure – Monday, April 22, 9pm – Tuesday, April 23, 5am.

From Roxton Road, traffic will be diverted along Roxton Road towards Chawston Lane to the junction of Great North Road / A1 northbound. 

Traffic to continue A1 northbound towards the Wyboston roundabout (A428) to return and travel to the A1 southbound / Great north Road, to the Black Cat roundabout and towards Bedford Road.

From Bedford Road, traffic will be diverted to the Black Cat roundabout to continue along the A1 northbound / Great North Road to turn left at Chawston Lane and left again to Roxton Road.

Bedford Road Closure – Tuesday, April 23, 9pm  – Wednesday, April 24, 7am.

From Bedford Road, traffic will be diverted up Roxton Road and then along Chawston Lane to join the A1 northbound.

From Black Cat roundabout – traffic will be diverted to continue along the A1 northbound / Great North Road to turn left at Chawston Lane and left again to Roxton Road.

Overnight closures on A1, A421 and Black Cat roundabout

The next step will be to install safety barriers, continue clearing the site of obstacles and carry out maintenance on CCTV cameras. These works will ensure that traffic can continue to use the A1, A421 and the Black Cat roundabout safely during construction. 

The work will take place over three nights:

Thursday, April 25(one night), 9pm to 5am

A421 westbound, Black Cat roundabout to Renhold

All traffic will divert via A1 southbound, A603 at Sandy then via Moggerhanger and rejoin the A421 at Cardington.

Bedford Road between Roxton Garden Centre and Black Cat roundabout

All traffic will divert via Roxton Road, Staploe Road, Bushmead Road to Eaton Socon and then south on the Great North Road (B1428) to Wyboston.

Friday, April 26(one night), 9pm to 5am

A421 Eastbound, Renhold to Black Cat roundabout  

Eastbound and local traffic heading to A1 southbound will use the A603 at Cardington then via Moggerhanger to Sandy and rejoin A1 southbound. 

A1 Northbound Black Cat roundabout to Wyboston

A1 Northbound traffic will travel southbound on the A1 and follow the diversion via the A505, A1198 and A428 to rejoin the A1 at Wyboston.

Saturday, April 27, (one night), 9pm to 5am

A1 Northbound, Sandy to Black Cat roundabout

A1 Northbound traffic will use the A603 at Sandy then via Moggerhanger and rejoin the A421 at Cardington.

Overnight closures of A1198 Ermine Street South (Caxton Gibbet)

The A1198 Ermine Street South between Caxton Gibbet roundabout and the Stay Inn Hotel (CB23 3PB) will be closed overnight from Monday, April 29 to Friday, May 3, 9pm - 5am. 

The closure is to allow NH to create a safe working environment so our operatives can carry out vegetation clearance.

Diversion route

From Caxton Gibbet roundabout, traffic will be diverted along the A428 westbound towards St Ives Road (B1040).

From the A1198 St Ives Road, traffic will be diverted along the B1040 and turn left onto the A428 eastbound and travel towards Caxton Gibbet roundabout.

During the road closures, local access to residential properties will be maintained. 

New layout on Black Cat roundabout

There has been a switch of the layout on the Black Cat roundabout, and the A421 Westbound (Towards Bedford/MK). These changes are essential to facilitate the construction of the scheme without closing any part of the road permanently, therefore trying to reduce ongoing disruption.

The inside lane for All Routes, predominately for A421 West and Roxton. The outside lane for A1N only, continues around the roundabout. If you find yourself in the wrong lane, NH says continue around the roundabout, rather than move in front of vehicles heading toward the A421 West (Bedford/MK).

What you will see

40mph speed restriction - will start approximately 1.2 miles on the approach to the Black Cat roundabout

Speed cameras will be in operation to enforce the 40mph speed restriction

Narrow lanes on A421 on approach to A1 Black Cat

Temporary road realignment markings

Workspace safety barriers and roadwork signs

Vegetation clearance.