Newport Pagnell is completely gridlocked due to roadworks

The town of Newport Pagnell was completely gridlocked this morning, with journeys that should take 10 minute taking up to an hour.

People were late to work and children were late to school as the town ground to a halt from 8am.

Drivers are blaming a set of three-way temporary traffic lights on the Wolverton Road, near the entrances to Giffard Park, Lidl and the Redhouse estate.

These have been placed there by Anglian Water contractors, who are digging up the road to carry out “utility repair and maintenance works” involving the footway, carriageway and verge.

The work is scheduled to last until October 27 but it is not known how long the traffic lights will be in place during this period.

"The town simply cannot take another 16 days of this. I’ve lived here for 40 years and I’ve never known it so bad,” said one Newportonian.

Today the Citizen has asked MK City Council highways officers if there is anything they can do to ease the problem. We are awaiting a reply.

Newport’s traffic chaos is exacerbated by road closures at the other end of town, on the A509. One of the city’s busiest roads, it leads to the motorway and accesses Newport Pagnell at Tickford Street.

Chunks of it will be closed for the next year due to the building of MK East, a huge planned development of 5000 new homes.

City MP Ben Everitt has opposed the A509 closures, saying it will cause chaos for Newport Pagnell and surrounding rural villages and also put pressure on city roads where the traffic will be diverted.

He said last month: “As part of the Labour-Lib Dem council’s MK East expansion plans, the A509 near Newport Pagnell is now set to have closures in place until 31st March 2025.

“Many have questioned why the new access road has not been built in advance of the A509 closure, which would have lessened the traffic impact on Newport Pagnell residents. They have had to put up with traffic chaos over the last 18 months... they are rightly concerned it’s only going to get worse.”