National Highways has announced the start of construction on the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvement project in Bedford, England, UK.

The commencement of construction was marked by an official ground-breaking event.

Mayor of Bedford Tom Wootton, Members of Parliament (MPs) Anthony Browne and Richard Fuller, along with the National Highways team attended the event.

The A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvement scheme is being funded through £1bn ($1.27bn) government investment.

This scheme is expected to help reduce congestion and improve journey times between Bedford, Milton Keynes, and Cambridge, thereby saving drivers up to 90 minutes on their weekly journeys.

The project involves building a ten-mile dual carriageway connecting the A1 and A421 Black Cat roundabout in Bedfordshire to the A428 Caxton Gibbet roundabout in Cambridgeshire.

The existing roundabouts will be upgraded into free-flowing junctions and a new junction will be added at Cambridge Road to improve access to St Neots and its train station.

The dual carriageway will deter drivers from using local roads to avoid traffic, thereby reducing up to 4,000 vehicles from using these routes, the company noted.

Project director Lee Galloway said: “This project is about connecting communities and leaving a positive legacy in the region.

“Throughout construction, we are committed to bringing the community on the journey with us, minimising disruption, and ensuring that local people and businesses are kept updated on our progress.”

Last month, Skanska secured additional funding for the development of a 16km dual carriageway on the A428 route.