UK Department of Transport
The Huntingdon bypass is part of a £1.5bn ($1.8bn) project to upgrade 33km of the A14 in Cambridgeshire, UK. Credit: Crown.

The UK Department of Transport (DoT) is set to open the new Huntingdon bypass dual carriageway this December, one year ahead of schedule.

The road was previously scheduled to open in December 2020.

The bypass is part of a £1.5bn ($1.8bn) project to upgrade 33km of the A14 in Cambridgeshire, UK.

When opened, the 12-mile bypass will cut journey time by up to 20 minutes.

The Huntingdon bypass will provide access to and from the container port at Felixstowe.

UK Roads Minister Baroness Charlotte Vere said: “The A14 upgrade will not only improve the experience for local drivers but will also boost access between the region’s ports and the West Midlands, a key logistics hub.”

The DoT has planned to open the road as an A-road rather than a motorway, while the design will continue as planned.

The entire project is expected to open for public by the end of next year.

Highways England project director David Bray said: “I’m delighted that we will be able to deliver the benefits of this key section of the project so much earlier than originally planned.

“As well as a significant improvement for drivers, this major milestone will start to realise some of the benefits of the upgrade for residents and communities along the A14 too.”