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A1: A421

Volume 495: debated on Monday 6 July 2009

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much the improvements to the Black Cat roundabout at the A1/A421 junction at Eaton Socon cost; and for how long the improvement works affected traffic on the A1. (284220)

Improvements to the Black Cat Roundabout at the A1/A421 Junction at Eaton Socon were carried out as part of the A421 Great Barford Bypass project and as such were not costed separately.

Traffic management and speed restrictions were instigated at the Black Cat Roundabout in June 2005 while work took place to enlarge the roundabout. The work took approximately 14 months to complete.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the costs arising from delays to traffic on the northbound carriageway of the A1 south of the Black Cat roundabout in each month in the five years before the roundabout was enlarged; and what estimate he has made of such costs in each month since completion of the improvements. (284221)

Improvements to the Blackcat Roundabout were made as part of the A421 Great Barford Bypass scheme. The work to enlarge the roundabout started in June 2005 and lasted approximately 14 months.

The traffic information requested is not available for the full five years prior to June 2005. However, information is available from September 2002 onwards. The following table provides the information from that date to the present:

Black Cat northbound approach vehicle hours delay (VHD)

Road Link = A1 between A603 and A421

Month

Total vehicle hour delay (VHD)

Cost (£)

2002

September

11,412

128,727.36

October

8,426

95,045.28

November

7,730

87,194.40

December

6,200

69,936.00

2003

January

6,623

74,707.44

February

6,334

71,447.52

March

7,278

82,095.84

April

8,244

92,992.32

May

7,498

84,577.44

June

7,563

85,310.64

July

8,505

95,936.40

August

6,106

68,875.68

September

8,381

94,537.68

October

8,774

98,970.72

November

7,423

83,731.44

December

7,271

82,016.88

2004

January

6,852

77,290.56

February

6,170

69,597.60

March

7,158

80,742.24

April

6,027

67,984.56

May

8,311

93,748.08

June

7,450

84,036.00

July

8,147

91,898.16

August

6,969

78,610.32

September

6,760

76,252.80

October

9,355

105,524.40

November

10,541

118,902.48

December

8,011

90,364.08

2005

January

5,666

63,912.48

February

5,457

61,554.96

March

8,369

94,402.32

April

6,942

78,305.76

May

8,248

93,037.44

June

9,200

103,776.00

July

11,354

128,073.12

August

10,738

121,124.64

September

19,135

215,842.80

October

22,301

251,555.28

November

16,394

184,924.32

December

16,474

185,826.72

2006

January

13,220

149,121.60

February

30,306

341,851.68

March

22,441

253,134.48

April

16,168

182,375.04

May

20,120

226,953.60

June

23,080

260,342.40

July

16,189

182,611.92

August

7,058

79,614.24

September

9,283

104,712.24

October

7,503

84,633.84

November

9,781

110,329.68

December

7,763

87,566.64

2007

January

6,396

72,146.88

February

7,490

84,487.20

March

8,493

95,801.04

April

9,233

104,148.24

May

9,841

111,006.48

June

9,452

106,618.56

July

11,768

132,743.04

August

11,302

127,486.56

September

11,312

127,599.36

October

12,969

146,290.32

November

10,815

121,993.20

December

7,788

87,848.64

2008

January

5,067

57,155.76

February

8,541

96,342.48

March

7,554

85,209.12

April

8,941

100,854.48

May

11,058

124,734.24

June

7,628

86,043.84

July

9,412

106,167.36

August

10,789

121,699.92

September

7,351

82,919.28

October

9,243

104,261.04

November

8,193

92,417.04

December

6,972

78,644.16

2009

January

5,800

65,424.00

February

7,116

80,268.48

March

7,226

81,509.28

April

7,724

87,126.72

May

7,111

80,212.08