The by-pass was to reduce the thunder of traffic through the ancient borough of Higham Ferrers and in Rushden with one sweep of the A6 from Bedford Road, just north of the Wymington back road, through to a junction with the A45 just north of Higham Ferrers. It was to run between the Court Estate and Rushden. A planned link road from the by-pass was to run into the north end of Rectory Road, and they wanted to demolish the old railway station!

It was still a decade before the road was finally opened on 14th August 2003, by the Paliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Mr David Jamieson. The road was named on the Rushden section only - as Liberty Way, on the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II - in 2005, as a tribute to those American Servicemen who lost their lives flying from Podington and Chelveston airbases. The Higham section remains unnamed.

Fortunately, after a fight, the preservation of the railway station was secured. The link road is now called John Clark Way, and runs between the old station and the siding sheds.