M1 to A6 link road

We are planning to build a new strategic road to create a northern Luton bypass - running from the A6 road to junction 11a of the M1, connecting with the A5 to M1 link road.

The new M1 to A6 link road will be 2.75 miles (4.4km) long with a dual carriageway at Sundon Park, and then a single carriageway connecting to the A6.

The road supports our priorities to enhance Central Bedfordshire by delivering improved infrastructure that will open up opportunities for employment, leisure activities and housing.

Our Development Management Committee agreed the planning application in September 2019 subject to a decision from the Secretary of State for Housing, Local Government and Communities. The Secretary of State chose not to intervene, and we were subsequently given the go ahead for the link road.

The planned link road that will connect the A6 and M1 aims to:

• ease congestion by relieving traffic pressure in and out of Luton and through local village, including Lower Sundon, Upper Sundon and Streatley
• improve access to Houghton Regis, Leighton Linslade, Dunstable and London Luton Airport
• create jobs by making the area more attractive to businesses; in particular, it will provide opportunities for businesses in aerospace, engineering and logistics to locate near to the airport, M1 motorway and Midland Mainline rail
• open up land for proposed new local homes on the northern edge of Luton
   

The route

Open full size map image

The above map shows the proposed new link road route, including junctions.

Rights of way

The map also shows the proposed new and enhanced footpaths, bridleways, and cycleways.

These include a cycleway connection to route 6 of the National Cycleway Network (NCN6); improvements to the Theedway; better links to Holt Wood and to Sundon chalk quarry County Wildlife Site; and paths that could form part of our ambition to create a cycle route from Luton to Bedford.

Download the footpaths and bridleways map (PDF 3.5MB)

Protecting the environment

Development in green belt is permitted in very special circumstances where the benefits outweigh the harm to the openness of the green belt.

We want to limit the impact of this new link road on the environment as much as possible. This includes the impact on local wildlife and the visual beauty of the area.

We've completed a number of studies and surveys to limit the link road's impact, these included:

• protected species (such as bats and great crested newts)
• landscape and visual impact
• public rights of way
• noise reduction
• flood risk

The studies and surveys contributed to our Environmental Impact Assessment and enabled us to plan for mitigating actions to reduce the negative impacts of the new road.

With the support of the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) the M1 to A6 link road received a Local Growth Fund allocation of £32.75 million from the Department for Transport in 2021.

Due to factors outside of our control, including the escalation of the war in Ukraine in 2022 affecting the supply of steel and other materials, construction costs for the road have increased substantially. Therefore, in addition to the contributions already committed by private investors, we're pursuing new funding sources to meet the full cost of building the new road.

Our Development Management Committee agreed to recommend the planning application for the proposed M1 to A6 link road to the Secretary of State in September 2019.

In order to preserve the planning consent, a small section of the access slip near to the A6 was completed in November 2024. The delivery of the remainder of the scheme is largely dependent on external funding sources, and is therefore held in abeyance until funding is secured.

For more information, and further details of the M1 to A6 link road, including the full business case submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT) see below:

View full business case documents for the M1 to A6 link road