Northampton Gateway is a strategic distribution site adjacent to Junction 15 of the M1. As a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) the planning process is a little different. Stage 2 Statutory Public Consultation began on 9th October and lasts until 24 November. You can find more information here: www.northampton-gateway.co.uk.
To enable that consultation, we have been working hard over the last few months, bringing all the proposals and assessments together, in effect as a planning application, with the Draft Environmental Statement and Transport Assessment submitted for public consultation. A package of transport measures are proposed, including a major upgrade to J15, dualling of the A508, and bypass of Roade.
Looking closely at these proposals, and considering the vast sums of money involved, it seems to me that a huge missed opportunity to remove one of the most dangerous stretches of the A508, at Stoke Bruene bends, north of the A508/The Greenway junction has been missed. Over a number of years Stoke Bruene bends has been the scene of many accidents, some involving the death of drivers and passengers. Given that quite rightly, the Ashton Road/Rookery lane junction is included in the existing plans for improvement, both the bends and the junction could be eliminated for all time by commencing the Roade ring road just north of Rookery Lane tolling up and continue along the now planned route to the point north of Roade when it is planned to rejoin the A508. It would actually make even more sense to continue the ring road north, to the west of Woodleys Farmhouse Day Nursery to a completely new junction with A508/Courteenhll Road, (probably a roundabout) which is earmarked on the plans for improvements already, and cutting out another set of bends leading to rising ground. Just a thought.