Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

Update

Following the Chancellor's Autumn statement on the 29 November (http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/autumn_statement.pdf), the M1 Junction 19 Improvement is one of six schemes previously announced for delivery in future spending review periods that will now be able to start works in the next three years,  subject to the completion of statutory processes.  We are working up detailed programmes for schemes announced in the Autumn Statement to identify the most efficient start of work dates.

Catthorpe Viaduct Replacement

Works to replace Catthorpe Viaduct started on site on the12th July 2010. This scheme is a maintenance project and is not the commencement of the M1 Junction 19 Improvement scheme. Further details can be found on the Catthorpe Viaduct Replacement scheme page

Postponement of Public Inquiry 17th June 2010

As you will be aware the Government has made clear its most urgent priority is to tackle the UK's record budget deficit to restore confidence in the economy and support the recovery. As part of its plan to eliminate the bulk of the deficit over the course of this Parliament, the Government has undertaken a full Spending Review, which reported in October 2010.

M1 Junction 19 has been identified as a scheme for potential construction post 2015, subject to the outcome of statutory processes. In view of this it has been decided to postpone, for the time being, the holding of the M1 Junction 19 Improvement Public Inquiry. We aim to provide you with an indication of the way forward for this scheme later this year once the spending review is complete.

The letter of announcement can be found on the Publications page for the M1 Junction 19 Improvement Scheme.

To contact the Project Team please see the Contact Information Page.

The Project

The existing junction 19 on the M1 gives rise to the following problems.

• congestion, delays and long queues
• accidents
• conflicts between local and longer distance traffic
• presents a barrier to pedestrian, cyclist and horse rider movements

Without improvement, these problems will get worse.

We are aiming to relieve congestion at the junction, make the roads safer and reduce journey times, whilst minimising any environmental effects.

The current problems can be resolved by changing the junction layout and separating local and longer distance traffic.

Public consultation and preferred route

A public consultation was held between June and September 2008 seeking the views of the public on three junction options and three local road network options. 

The public response showed that their main concerns were road safety and congestion.  There was overwhelming support for an improvement scheme, with the Red Junction the most favoured. Of the three local road network options, the Orange Local Road Network was the most favoured.

A further eleven junction layouts were suggested by the public. These have been considered and assessed, and all were found to be less beneficial than the new preferred route.

The Minister of State for Transport has considered the views of those who responded to the consultation and our recommendations. The Minister of State has decided that the improvement scheme is to be implemented and that the preferred route is the Red Junction and Orange Local Road Network.

This decision supercedes the preferred route announcement of 2003.

The February 2008 preferred route can be viewed on the Preferred Route page.  A preferred route announcement leaflet can be downloaded from the Publications page in the project menu.

Draft Orders

The following draft Scheme and Orders were published on Thursday 25th February 2010:

The M1 Motorway (Junction 19 Improvement) (M1 Motorway Connecting Roads) Scheme 20

The M1 Motorway (Junction 19 Improvement) (M6 Motorway and Connecting Roads) Scheme 20

The M1 Motorway (Junction 19 Improvement) (A14 Trunk Road) Order 20

The M1 Motorway (Junction 19 Improvement) Side Roads Order 20

The M1 Motorway (Junction 19 Improvement) Compulsory Purchase Order (MP No. ) 20

Copies of each draft Scheme and Order and their associated plans, along with the Environmental Statement, were on deposit between Thursday 25th February 2010 and Friday 21st May 2010 at the following locations:

Highways Agency, 5 Broadway, Broad Street, Birmingham, B15 1BL

Harborough District Council, Council Offices, Adam & Eve Street, Market Harborough, LE16 7AG

Daventry District Council, Lodge Road, Daventry, Northamptonshire, NN11 4FP

Leicestershire County Council, County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8RA

Lutterworth Library, George Street, Lutterworth, Leicestershire, LE17 4ED

Northamptonshire Central Library, Abington Street, Northampton, NN1 2BA

Rugby Library and Information Centre, Little Elborow Street, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV21 3BZ

Environmental Statement and Non-Technical Summary

An Environmental Statement and Non-Technical Summary have been published under Section 105A of the Highways Act 1980. These describe the main effects the project is likely to have on the environment together with the measures proposed to reduce or eliminate adverse effect on the environment.

The Non-Technical Summary of the Environmental Statement  and the Explanatory Statement can be found along with a link to the Environmental Statement on the Publications Page.

Public Exhibitions were held as follows;

Friday 12th March 2010 - 2pm to 8pm and Saturday 13th March 2010 - 10am to 4pm

Lilbourne Village Hall, Station Road, Lilbourne, Northamptonshire, CV23 0SU

Friday 19th March 2010 - 2pm to 8pm and Saturday 20th March - 10am to 4pm

Swinford Village Hall, 1 Chapel Street, Swinford, Leicestershire, LE17 6AZ

Objection Period

The objection period for the draft Orders closed on the 21st May 2010.

What happens next?

Bearing in mind the information contained in the Update above, depending on the nature and number of objections received, a Public Inquiry may be held before an independent Inspector. Any comments received will be made available to the Inspector, who may decide to make them public. Should any alternative routes be proposed they would be published in the local press so that anyone affected would have the opportunity to support, comment on or object to them.

If a Public Inquiry is to be held all those who responded will be notified of the date and venue at least 6 weeks beforehand.