Improvement works to key A45 junctions in Northampton approved by councillors

Road works will take place to improve a number of key interchanges on the A45 near Northampton, after the county council gave the proposals the go-ahead.
Several interchanges on the A45 will be improved after the county council approved the schemeSeveral interchanges on the A45 will be improved after the county council approved the scheme
Several interchanges on the A45 will be improved after the county council approved the scheme

Major works costing £5million will first begin on the Queen Eleanor roundabout in 2019/20, before similar works will take place at the junctions at Brackmills and Great Billing in the following year.

Improvements to four other junctions at Lumbertubs, Barnes Meadow, Wootton and junction 15 of the M1 will take place in future years once further funding is secured.

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The scheme was formally approved on Tuesday (May 14) by the cabinet of Northamptonshire County Council, which has been asked to manage the project by Highways England.

The junctions that form part of the schemeThe junctions that form part of the scheme
The junctions that form part of the scheme

Conservative cabinet member for highways, Councillor Ian Morris, said: “There’s been negative stories about this council over the last 18 months, but what we have done is carried on delivering infrastructure, and we will continue to do so until the new unitary comes in. This is a good news story.

“We will tackle the other junctions as and when the section 106 money from developers come in. But we won’t do any work on the M1 junction until we know whether it will be completely rebuilt as part of the Northampton Gateway proposals.”

The Queen Eleanor works take up a substantial amount of the budget. Works will include widening the carriageway over the A45 bridge to three lanes, widening the approaches from London Road, Newport Pagnell Road and Mereway, and signalising the London Road junction.

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The Brackmills interchange works will see the Rhosili Road and Nene Valley Way approaches widened, while widening the carriageway bridge to three lanes. The Great Billing interchange will see new traffic signals put in.

Speaking at cabinet on Tuesday, Labour councillor Winston Strachan said: “Any changes that improve the flow of traffic will be welcomed by motorists who use these roads on a daily basis. I believe the proposed initiatives at Queen Eleanor and Great Billing will make a difference, and I welcome them.”

As well as acting as the project manager, the county council is also the fund-holder for the scheme. Around £1.8million of the funds have been secured already from developers, while the pot was also boosted by securing £4.08million from Highways England’s Growth and Housing Fund.