Motorists were left stranded for up to six hours on Saturday (5 July) after problems with traffic management at the Black Cat roundabout caused gridlock on the A421 and A1.
Queues built up through the morning as the A1 northbound carriageway remained closed between the Black Cat roundabout and Wyboston, with a diversion in place via St Neots Road and the A428.
National Highways confirmed that the closure is scheduled to remain in place until 5am on Monday (7 July) to allow Anglian Water to connect new water mains near the carriageway and to install a temporary safety barrier.
However, a combination of the closure, faulty traffic signals and diversion signage that some motorists said was confusing and sent them in the wrong direction caused chaos on the surrounding roads.
Bedfordshire Police said they were aware of the issues and had contacted National Highways, which is overseeing the works.
A police spokesperson said: “We are aware of some issues with traffic lights on the A1, which is causing queues on the eastbound carriageway of the A421. Officers are in attendance and have contacted National Highways, who are working to resolve the issue.”
National Highways posted on social media to acknowledge “significant delays”, blaming vehicle breakdowns on the A421 and the ongoing closure of the A1 northbound between the Black Cat and Eaton Socon for construction work.
However, frustrated motorists complained that diversion signs were missing or incorrect, with some claiming they were still being directed to the back of the queue hours later.
A motorist we spoke to, who had been stuck for six and a half hours, called it a “sh*t show”.
Gaslighting
One motorist on Facebook said that her husband and daughter were stuck for nearly three hours, missing a birthday party that her daughter was supposed to attend.
Another described calling National Highways only to be told traffic was “moving”, something she described as “gaslighting” as cars remained stationary.
Several drivers said they were heading to Bedford Summer Sessions at Bedford Park, with Rag’n’Bone Man due to perform on Saturday evening.
Some expressed concern about whether they would make it in time for the act they had paid to see, as traffic remained at a standstill for hours.
Black Cat upgrades
Others reported that good Samaritans stepped in to help stranded drivers, including one motorist who brought boiling water for a parent who needed to prepare a baby bottle.
On Friday, National Highways announced the next stage of work on the £1bn Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet upgrade, confirming that from Tuesday, 8 July 2025, the northern section of the Black Cat roundabout would be closed.
This is to allow the construction of a new A421 flyover bridge and the lowering of the A1 carriageway.
We have contacted National Highways for an official statement on today’s disruption and the placement of diversion signage, but they have not yet responded.
Motorists are advised to continue checking live traffic updates before travelling and to avoid the area where possible. For the latest news relating to the Black Cat Roundabout upgrades, head to the dedicated National Highways East Facebook page.
For the latest, “We’re sorry”, National Highways apologises for Black Cat chaos
