MP launches petition to protest against 18 months of road closures he says will cause 'chaos' in Milton Keynes

City MP Ben Everitt has launched his own petition to protest against the council’s plans to close parts of a major road in Milton Keynes for 18 months.

The A509, just outside Newport Pagnell, leads to the M1 and is heavily used by motorists.

But due to building works needed for the huge new Tickford Fields Farm development, parts of it will be closed until March 2025.

"This will cause traffic chaos in Newport Pagnell and the nearby villages and is unfair on these residents who have already had to suffer from non-stop road closures and works over the past 18 months,” said Mr Everitt.

"I have set up this petition to demand that the Labour-Lib Dem Council thinks again on closing the A509 for an entire year and actually puts our rural residents first for a change by coming up with an alternative solution.”

The first closure is planned for September 25 and will only last one day.

But after that, from September 26 to December 21, the stretch of London Road from Mousloe, from its junction with Holiday Inn to its junction with Moulsoe Road, will be closed. The alternative route will be via Portway, Marlborough Street, the A422 and Monks Way – putting more pressure on those roads.

The final phase will mean the closure of London Road from its junction with Moulsoe Road right up to the M1 junction. This will take place from January 1 2025 until March 31 2025, says Mr Everitt.

"We need to make sure MK Council understands how unpopular their decision to close the A509 to the M1 junction for an entire year is,” he said.

“Newport Pagnell residents have put up with enough in recent years. It's been non-stop traffic chaos due to the council's MK East development. It's time they put rural residents first.

"The road is set to close on 25th September so please get your signatures in by then and share far and wide.”

Mr Everitt, who is MP for MK North, is strongly against the Tickford Field Farm development, known as MK East, since it was first announced.

"Since my election I have passionately opposed the council's MK East development, but they have ploughed on regardless,” he said.

Existing roads, GPs and services will simply not be able to cope with the extra 930 households, says the MP.

“Infrastructure before expansion. It’s not rocket science. The council is responsible for planning approvals that have a massive impact on our communities.”

Currently the 45-hectare site is is farmland. The Vistry Group, formerly Bovis Homes, has been chosen as developer for the £275m project and work has already begun.

A primary school, local centre, sports pitches and play areas will be built to serve the new homes, which will range from one-bedroom apartments to five-bedroom houses.

More than 30% of them will be classed as affordable and accessible to people on lower incomes, says the council.

You can view Mr Everitt’s petition here.