Open letter from National Highways following road closure 21st-24th February 2025, 8pm to 5am

Please see the following open letter from National Highways:

Following the closure of the A428 over the weekend of February 21st to 24th, I would like to take this opportunity to outline the position of National Highways and the A428 project.

We received numerous complaints and comments from both the public and yourselves regarding traffic diverting through villages, rather than following the designated diversion route. As outlined in the original plan, the prescribed diversion was to utilise the A14 and then join the A1 SB.

We acknowledge that we are in a challenging position, as we must install a diversion route that accommodates all traffic using our Strategic Road Network (SRN) daily. Unfortunately, this means we cannot divert traffic onto roads that are unsuitable for larger vehicles, such as articulated lorries. We understand that the diversion route is a significant distance, and people will naturally look for ways to avoid it.

I would like to reassure you that National Highways did not, and has never, directed traffic through the High Street in Yelling or onto Toseland. Any signage seen at the Toseland Road crossroads was for local drivers only.

We are committed to planning our closures and works with great care, engaging with local authorities and the police to manage and mitigate the impact on local traffic. It’s important to note that we are not an enforcement agency; however, all law-abiding motorists, where there are no legal restrictions, are entitled to use the public highway.

We take our responsibility seriously and have worked to ensure the advertised diversion routes are clear and well-communicated. We are always mindful of the local impact, regularly reviewing the situation and visiting locations to assess the situation firsthand. We are also happy to arrange site visits with local Councillors, parish councils, or residents to discuss concerns.

Looking ahead, there will be further closures, but we are committed to keeping these to a minimum as we work to deliver this complex infrastructure scheme. We have been in contact with Stagecoach, sharing feedback from customers and the videos that were sent to us. I want to reiterate that at no point did the project divert traffic through Yelling or Toseland. We actively work to avoid this, but we are bound by road laws, and law-abiding motorists using public highways are entitled to access them.

As a project we are responsible for clear signing of our diversions, and we take all efforts to advertise this as wide as possible, including the gantry signs on the M25. We cannot however control the behaviour of the public and businesses who choose to not follow our instructions and take matters into their own hands. This is not something we can be held accountable for; we have no powers to stop them.

We did ensure local junctions, such as Toseland Road, were clearly signed, directing drivers who needed to bypass the A428 closure. However, this should not be confused with diverting all traffic through the villages, as some have suggested.

We continue to work closely with Cambridgeshire County Council, the responsible authority for these roads, to explore potential mitigation measures. We apologise once again for the disruption and assure you that we are doing everything possible to address the concerns raised and minimise the impact on local communities.

We would also like to express our appreciation to Cllr. Davenport-Ray for recognizing the additional signage we placed at either end of the village during the closure. Although we understand that these signs were not always observed, they demonstrate our commitment to supporting the local community.

We fully understand the frustration felt by residents and aim to assist as much as possible within the constraints of our scheme. Through proactive communication and utilising various platforms, we ensure that everyone is well-informed about our plans. While we cannot control driver behaviour, we continually strive to influence it in a positive way. We are genuinely sorry for the inconvenience caused, but we are working within the scope of our responsibilities to deliver this essential infrastructure project.

Thank you for your understanding and ongoing collaboration. https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/a428-black-cat-to-caxton-gibbet/diversions-closures-and-speed-restrictions/