Bid to dual new section of A43 moves forward

Work to improve a main route between two towns could see a further section of the road become a dual carriageway.

West Northamptonshire Council said the A43 between Northampton and Kettering could benefit from a £27bn national programme to upgrade England's key roads.

The road was partly dualled between Round Spinney and Overstone Grange in 2018, but the Reform UK-led council now wants to dual up to the Holcot Lane/Sywell Road roundabout where it said delays were common at peak times.

Richard Butler, the council's cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "Improving the A43 is a priority for us because it's a route so many people rely on every day."

He added: "We're pleased to be working with the government and our partners in north Northamptonshire to keep this project moving forward, and we'll make sure residents are kept informed as plans develop."

The authority said the inclusion of the A43 scheme in this "is a vote of confidence in the justification, value for money and deliverability of the project".

About 4,850 new homes are planned along the corridor, which the council said made improved capacity "essential".

The council added that further development of its business case would be supported by substantial funding from the Department for Transport.

It said it anticipated a contribution from the government of "at least" £31m, adding that both it and North Northamptonshire Council was "expected to require no more than a further £500,000 in total".

The funding amounts would be confirmed when a business case for the project was finalised.

If the plans were approved at each milestone, construction was expected to begin in 2028 and finish by 2029.

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