The Highways team look at improving connectivity for the region and are involved in large scale projects either in or affecting parts of MK.
Roundabout improvements 2025-2030
We are investing up to £90m into improving key roundabouts on the grid road network so Milton Keynes can handle future traffic levels. These projects are funded by developer tariffs. These are financial contributions that we collect from developers to minimise their impact on the highways network. Tariff money also help us to fund building the infrastructure needed to support new growth and development in Milton Keynes as set out under the Council City Plan 2050.
We have identified several roundabouts where we need to make some improvements now to increase capacity and reduce congestion ahead of the growth expected in the city over the next few years.
Image: Brinklow Roundabout looking south along V11 Tongwell Street.
The first two roundabouts to be improved will be Monkston and Brinklow roundabouts close to the A421 and H7 Chaffron Way. As part of the tariff-funded works, we'll also be looking at schemes to improve these roundabouts too:
- Crownhill Roundabout
- Loughton Roundabout
- Elfield Park Roundabout
- Kingston Roundabout
The Major Projects team within Highways completed traffic data collection, detailed modelling, feasibility and assessments to identify these priority roundabouts that will need additional works to help keep the network flowing in the future.
Improvements will include:
- Lane widening and reconfiguration.
- Increased roundabout size and lanes to increase network capacity.
- Enlarged roundabouts and/or signalisation.
- Enhanced road markings and signage
- Innovation through Artificial Intelligence
Updates: Monkston and Brinklow Roundabouts.
This month (April) we are digging trial holes around Brinklow roundabout to check for any existing utility cables and pipes ahead of the main construction phase that starts in summer 2025 subject to weather conditions and the availability of the traffic signal equipment. Traffic signal equipment is in high demand across the UK and can take several weeks to be delivered from the original order. The infrastructure for the new traffic signals has already been placed in the ground during resurfacing works a few months ago.
Vegetation clearance and electrical cable testing works took place in February 2025.
Between July-September 2024, we held a public consultation on our plans to improve these two roundabouts. You can view all the details below:
Public Consultation (now closed)
You can view all the consultation documents here
The traffic modelling video for the roundabouts may be viewed here
Here are the result reports from the feedback received:
Monkston and Brinklow Consultation Report
Appendix 2 - Raw feedback from the consultation
Appendix 3 - Monkston Consultation Plan (Hamburger Signals)
Appendix 4 - Monkston Consultation Plan (Enlarged and Signals)
Appendix 5 - Brinklow Proposed Traffic Signals
Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF)
A package of £95m was announced by the Government in March 2020 to cover the cost of the infrastructure to serve a large development of 5,000 new homes to the east of MK. This funding will cover the cost of building a new community health hub, primary school and for new roads, footways and a road bridge over the M1.
It will include around 461 hectares of both employment and residential land.
The area, called the Milton Keynes East Sustainable Urban Extension Area (MKE SUE) is explained in more detail on our Planning section in Plan:MK
Find out more about the HIF on gov.uk.
The developers, Laing O'Rourke and St James have created an app called MKE which can be downloaded to either and iPhone or Android mobile. You can download it from either the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Alternatively, you can send your enquiry to them by email to mke.enquiries@laingorourke.com or call 01202 045323.
East West Rail
The East West Rail link will eventually join up Milton Keynes to Oxford and Cambridge through the Bletchley station.
As a national transport project, the works are being done under a Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) was approved on 25 February 2020 by the Secretary of State. This act gives Network Rail the authority to notify MKC about their proposed road closures and or temporary traffic orders associated with their works.
This means that Network Rail are not required to request authorisation from Milton Keynes Highway Authority to carry out these works on our network.
More information about the East West Rail project can be found on their website www.eastwestrail.co.uk.