The Towcester Relief Road is a top priority for our area, and has been one of my main priorities since I was elected as MP.

Drive past the site, and you will see that construction continues apace, with Persimmon making good progress on building the road which will help to cut congestion and improve air quality through Towcester. I have continued to work closely with West Northamptonshire Council, Persimmon, Highways England (now National Highways,) and local residents to push for progress on the road, as well as pushing the Department for Transport for further investment and to expedite this much needed infrastructure. 

I am delighted that during a meeting between myself and each of the key parties this week, including Baroness Vere, the Roads Minister, we have agreed a way forward that will achieve two of the key goals as expressed by so many residents:

1. Signage to the relief road will draw traffic away from the centre of Towcester, and the relief road itself will be adjusted to ensure it can cope with greater traffic movements whilst remaining within the current planning consent. This stays within the current alignment and focuses on changes to lane markings and hatching at junctions. This should be able to be carried out with relatively low cost and virtually no delay to the current programme. The speed limit will remain at 40mph.

2. A complementary programme of traffic calming (such as raised tables, pedestrian crossings) and a ‘street scape environment’ will be delivered in Towcester, including imposing a weight restriction, with through traffic signed along the relief road. This will need to be agreed with Towcester Town Council, but I can imagine residents will be only too pleased to have this level of relief for the town.

This is fantastic news for our continued campaign to improve the traffic problems through Towcester and I will continue to work with all stakeholders to deliver the construction of the relief road by 2023. I am confident that the above measures will help to alleviate the number of HGVs and other through traffic using the A5 Watling Street.