A1 - A421
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Ordnance Survey map - Alternative aerial view
Where is it?
On the Bedfordshire section of A1, notorious as an ancient section of A1 full of roundabouts and right-turns, where the A421 trunk route from Bedford joins in.
What's wrong with it?
This whole section of A1 is at best unacceptable, and at worst downright dangerous. The Black Cat Roundabout is certainly a contender for the most dangerous junction on it. Considering this stretch of all-purpose A1 is between two sections of A1(M), the place where it meets another trunk route (and one which is a grade separated dual carriageway just a few miles further on) is not the place for a cramped roundabout. The Black Cat is a regular on traffic reports for overturned lorries and general congestion as the sheer volume of traffic finds it hard to get through.
Why is it wrong?
This section of the A1 was upgraded quite a while before the sections around it - it was dualled when the rest of the road was still single carriageway, by slapping another two lane carriageway next to the existing one. Back in the 1950s it must have been a dream, but now, stuck between two sections of fast A1(M), it's abysmal and traffic using it isn't used to travel on such a low-grade overused road. This junction simply hasn't been updated and is long overdue for an overhaul.
What would be better?
The A421 upgrade works could have included a new junction. It wouldn't be achieving the impossible to build a new roundabout with the A1 flying over the top - basic and very much a plain-vanilla option but it would be perfectly adequate here. Sadly all that happened was that the existing roundabout was made larger. Alternatively, since there's no other roads involved, how about a free-flowing trumpet, costing not much more in land, less in overbridges, and returning more in capacity?
Right to Reply
Email me with your comments.
Tim C writes:
Yes the Black Cat is an absolute nightmare, however, about six years ago they slapped a nice little Get In Lane on the A1 Southbound which, shockingly, actually improved things. The roundabout fits on with the rest of this section of the A1 and is infinitely better than Sandy roundabout, a few miles south, and Brampton Hut and the Spittals link (urgh) outside of Huntingdon.
Dave liney adds:
The problem with the Black Cat roundabout is that little traffic goes from the A421 to the A1 southbound (the A603 being a better option for many people). This means that northbound A1 has to wait a while before southbound A1 - A421 traffic is interrupted so they can gain access to the roundabout.
So a simple fly-over/underpass for just lane 2 northbound A1 leaving lane 1 before the roundabout to go on to the A421 and after it for traffic from the A421 would, I think, improve the situation.
Simon Curtis has an idea:
When The enquiry was held on the Great Barford by-pass I put forward a proposal to re-align the A1 East from a point around 200 metres North of the present roundabout to a point 500 metres South of the Roxton/Tempsford double bends. If one takes an aerial view, such as Google Earth, you can see this would in effect straighten the A1 considerably. The Highways Authority was against the proposition for a number of reasons. Impact on existing business! Only one would be affected and he was cock-a-hoop at the thought of being compulsory purchased. Alignment constraints.... None whatsoever in fact the road would have been straight and it is open fields to the East of the present road.
The new Southbound approach has been split into three lanes; two for Southbound traffic and one for Westbound traffic. The result is that, at peak times, Southbound traffic now speeds through effortlessly and Westbound also streams nicely having the effect of stopping the traffic on the Northbound carriageway. I now queue daily from Tempsford for 20mins+ to clear the roundabout. It is easier for me and hundreds of other car users to divert over the Blunham flyover and go through Little Barford to the St Neots by-pass but even now I notice this B-road is becoming congested on the approach to St Neots.
Rory Halliday isn't a fan:
This is the worst junction on the worst strech of the A1. I have never been there without a jam. It's so bad even the cat added at the latest re-design has gone walkies!
Tony Baker is something of a regular: (Apr 08)
I have been using the whole length of the A1 twice a year since the late 50s when it was single all the way. Last year I was held up at the Black Cat by roadworks but assumed that great things were going to happen. Two weeks ago, I couldn't believe the delay until I realised that the roundabout had only been made larger. Ironically this makes things worse as southbound traffic heading for Bedford now comes across the northbound traffic at greater speed. Definitely the worst junction on the A1.
Mark H is bracing himself for the worst: (Apr 08)
Those of us living in the area know what a joke this roundabout is! Imagine what it will be like when the M1 j13 to Bedford scheme is opened in a few years time! There will be a high standard dual-carriageway route from the M1 at j13 all the way to Felixstowe, except for the 'gap' between the Black Cat and the roundabout at Caxton Gibbet. This is bound to attract a much higher volume of traffic. At the moment St Neots is a building site for yet more houses and the St Neots bypass is already heavily congested.
When I put this to the Highways Agency recently I was told that the dualling of this final section will be looked into. But we all know that could be 10, 15 or more years away!
Here's the best bit: there is talk of the land to the immediate east of the Black Cat roundabout being used for quarrying, with the lorries having direct access onto the roundabout at the unused east 'gate'! You couldn't make it up! What's the betting there will soon be traffic lights, "for our safety", at the Black Cat soon?
