Dear editor,
An open letter to National Highways, re: Drivers stuck for hours on A421 and A1 after traffic chaos at Black Cat roundabout
National Highways, what a complete and utter shambles. You should be totally ashamed of yourselves for the chaos you allowed to unfold on the A421 approach to the Black Cat roundabout redevelopment on the A1 on Saturday, 5 July.
So far as I can see, an apology on your website is as invisible as the warning signs, diversion signs, or any kind of human intervention throughout our 4.5 hours enduring this hopeless situation.
Others were stuck even longer, with reports of some drivers being trapped in this mess for up to six hours.
My wife and I were fortunate that we weren’t on an urgent trip, and, given our ages and medical needs, we were also lucky, if that can be called it, to “only” endure 4.5 hours.
Wasted fuel
Even so, by the time we finally reached and navigated the Black Cat roundabout, the purpose of our journey was ruined, and we headed home.
We’re local, so our journey spanned a total of no more than 20 miles, but it took five hours. Five hours of wasted fuel just turning my car on and off as we edged forward, maybe 20 yards every ten minutes.
That money is lost to me now, and however small it may seem, I doubt you will take responsibility or offer any reimbursement, despite this waste being entirely due to your incompetence.
Much more important, though, are the plans and lives of others that you ruined and endangered during those disastrous hours. This is a major cross-country route, the very reason you’re redeveloping it.
It’s a highway to the east coast ports and ferry terminals, a link between significant educational, cultural, and industrial centres, and a direct route between Bedford and Milton Keynes hospitals and the critical healthcare hubs at Papworth and Addenbrookes.
During this chaos, we drivers had to pull over as best we could to let through five ambulances, all clearly on desperate missions, possibly transferring critically ill patients to Papworth or Addenbrooke’s for urgent care.
For most of the road, we could make space, but in the last 200 metres approaching the Black Cat, it became impossible — the narrow lanes hemmed in by metal barriers reduced to just one lane at the end.
What on earth happened, National Highways?
Don’t insult us
As we passed the final junction on the eastern edge of Bedford, there were no warning signs about possible delays ahead or suggested alternative routes.
Being local, I could have chosen another way to our destination if I’d known. Please don’t insult us by pointing to alerts on your website or media bulletins. Where was the roadside signage?
Then, when we finally reached the Black Cat and discovered the traffic lights were faulty — where was the intervention by Highways staff or police to manage the situation?
The Bedford Independent article I read afterwards suggests police were present. They were most definitely not there when we arrived. What we found was a multi-lane southbound A1 given long green lights, while everyone else got very short turns.
Throughout our 4.5 hours, we saw several police vehicles heading in the opposite direction on the A421, none of which stopped to help, and just one police car, after four hours, managed to squeeze through towards the Black Cat.
No one was visible at the roundabout managing traffic, no one walking back along the queue to check on people, no one offering water. We passed two broken-down cars.
We felt helpless seeing one nearby driver, looking faint and gasping for air as she opened her door, and others climbing fences just to relieve themselves.
Those of us already on the road had no idea what lay ahead after the Renhold junction. And as for police claims that they were “liaising” with Highways throughout the day but only intervened much later — why?
If this situation persisted all day, as the article suggests, how many more ambulances, possibly carrying critically ill patients, would have had to fight through this chaos? Surely, this route must be treated as a priority “red route” for such transfers?
Speaking personally, I have family and friends who have had and continue to have vital treatment at Papworth and Addenbrooke’s. This matters.
An apology is not enough
Both my older brother and I are currently under their care. I sincerely hope no one died because of the delays you created, but I fear someone may have.
My son, who manages a local care home, told me some of his staff were also caught up in this chaos, unable to start their shifts and forcing others to work longer. No doubt this kind of disruption was repeated many times over for many others.
I don’t know what more to say except that a simple apology is not enough. This was a wholly avoidable mess — and I remain polite in calling it that — which caused unnecessary stress and harm to many people in various ways.
So — well done, National Highways. Once again, your behaviour and performance, especially regarding the A421, show your complete and utter disregard for the thousands of people you so badly affected.
If anyone in those ambulances died as a result of the conditions you imposed when they might otherwise have survived, then you have blood on your hands and explanations to give.
Roy Summers
White Lodge Close
Kempston
Edited for length and flow.
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