Iconic Black Cat Roundabout statue set to be moved for vital upgrade

An iconic sculpture located on a roundabout near Cambridgeshire is to be temporarily removed from the roads. The Black Cat Statue, on the A1 near St Neots, will be taken away due to vital upgrades being carried out.

The scheme will see the creation of a new ten mile dual carriageway linking the A1 roundabout to the A428 Caxton Gibbet roundabout. It is hoped to provide modern, free flowing junctions and easier access to St Neots’ town centre and railway station.

The statue first appeared on the roundabout in January 2004, taking its name from the garage and car repair workshop which opened on the junction in the 1920’s. It has undergone a number of incidents over the years, including a burglary in 2007 and vandalism in 2019.

Paul Salmon, Senior Project Manager at National Highways, said: “One of the most frequently asked questions we receive is ‘what will happen to the black cat statue?’

“We fully understand the importance of the black cat as a local landmark, and one of our project ambitions is to leave a purr-fect legacy, so don’t worry we will be looking after the cat and her kittens during construction. And rest assured that the black cat will be returned once the upgrade is complete.”

The project is also said to help drivers save up to an hour and a half on their journeys every week. It is expected to open to traffic in 2027.

References

1. ^{^} Seven-week-old child died in hospital after not being given routine Vitamin K jab (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
2. ^{^} ‘I visited the Cambs island nature reserve that requires a huge key to access and discovered a sanctuary’ (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)