Hertford Bypass
Posted: Thu 27 Oct, 2016 2:04 pm
Proposals for a bypass around Hertford are included in a new consultation document published by Herts County Council.
You can read the document at:
http://www.hertford.net/issues/LTPtranvis2050.pdf
A straw poll on Discover Hertford last year showed a majority in favour of a bypass:
http://www.hertford.net/discussion/view ... ?f=5&t=572
The consultation document sets out details of a major scheme that could be implemented between 2021 and 2031 and costing £155-175m:
Traffic and congestion on the A414 through Hertford is constraining the level of housing growth that can be delivered in the area without a severe deterioration in journey times and reliability. There is already evidence of rat running on lower classifications of roads in the area by traffic avoiding the A414 through the town, and severe problems occur whenever incidents on the M25 cause traffic to reroute onto the A414. Traffic levels on the A414 cause air quality problems, severance issues between the town centre and the south of the town, and blight the public realm. A large proportion of the traffic on the A414 in peak periods is passing through the town (in the AM peak around 40% of westbound and 36% of eastbound traffic). Alternative options to a bypass have been considered, but it is unlikely that a viable option could be delivered that adequately addressed the levels of traffic and congestion in the town and the problems this causes. Because of the extent of rat running, solutions that could encourage modal shift from car to more sustainable modes would not reduce traffic and congestion in the town because rat running traffic would return to the A414. A town the size of Hertford is unlikely to be able to sustain an effective park and ride system. Also changes to car parking supply and charges at a scale that would deliver sufficient reductions in traffic, are likely to harm the local economy and be unpopular with local residents.
This major scheme would deliver a dual carriageway bypass linking a junction on the A414 west of the town with the A10 to the east. The route for this could be to the north or south of the town- although the costs and benefits presented here are based on a southern option. Intermediate junctions may be included along the bypass to link with additional local roads. By freeing capacity on the existing A414 through Hertford, a carriageway lane in each direction could be reassigned for use by other modes (walking, cycling, public transport) or for improved public realm. This could not only transform sustainable travel in the town, but also the quality of the local environment and ensure traffic is encouraged onto the bypass and away from urban roads. The combination of a bypass and sustainable travel town approach would ensure the scheme contributed to most of the LTP objectives. Specific benefits include:
• Alleviation of peak hour traffic congestion, with moderate improvements to journey times (5-10 minutes compared to the route through Hertford) and journey time reliability.
• Provision of additional capacity to cater for forecast growth in travel demand.
• More shorter trips made on foot, by bicycle or by public transport, with associated benefits to public health through increased levels of physical activity
• Significant traffic removed from the A414 through Hertford, a reduction in private vehicle use for shorter trips with sustainable mode improvements, and improvements in local air quality.
• Enhanced public realm in the town.
While every effort would be made to mitigate the impact of the scheme, a bypass to the north or south of the town is likely to have a major impact on the local environment.
You can read the document at:
http://www.hertford.net/issues/LTPtranvis2050.pdf
A straw poll on Discover Hertford last year showed a majority in favour of a bypass:
http://www.hertford.net/discussion/view ... ?f=5&t=572
The consultation document sets out details of a major scheme that could be implemented between 2021 and 2031 and costing £155-175m:
Traffic and congestion on the A414 through Hertford is constraining the level of housing growth that can be delivered in the area without a severe deterioration in journey times and reliability. There is already evidence of rat running on lower classifications of roads in the area by traffic avoiding the A414 through the town, and severe problems occur whenever incidents on the M25 cause traffic to reroute onto the A414. Traffic levels on the A414 cause air quality problems, severance issues between the town centre and the south of the town, and blight the public realm. A large proportion of the traffic on the A414 in peak periods is passing through the town (in the AM peak around 40% of westbound and 36% of eastbound traffic). Alternative options to a bypass have been considered, but it is unlikely that a viable option could be delivered that adequately addressed the levels of traffic and congestion in the town and the problems this causes. Because of the extent of rat running, solutions that could encourage modal shift from car to more sustainable modes would not reduce traffic and congestion in the town because rat running traffic would return to the A414. A town the size of Hertford is unlikely to be able to sustain an effective park and ride system. Also changes to car parking supply and charges at a scale that would deliver sufficient reductions in traffic, are likely to harm the local economy and be unpopular with local residents.
This major scheme would deliver a dual carriageway bypass linking a junction on the A414 west of the town with the A10 to the east. The route for this could be to the north or south of the town- although the costs and benefits presented here are based on a southern option. Intermediate junctions may be included along the bypass to link with additional local roads. By freeing capacity on the existing A414 through Hertford, a carriageway lane in each direction could be reassigned for use by other modes (walking, cycling, public transport) or for improved public realm. This could not only transform sustainable travel in the town, but also the quality of the local environment and ensure traffic is encouraged onto the bypass and away from urban roads. The combination of a bypass and sustainable travel town approach would ensure the scheme contributed to most of the LTP objectives. Specific benefits include:
• Alleviation of peak hour traffic congestion, with moderate improvements to journey times (5-10 minutes compared to the route through Hertford) and journey time reliability.
• Provision of additional capacity to cater for forecast growth in travel demand.
• More shorter trips made on foot, by bicycle or by public transport, with associated benefits to public health through increased levels of physical activity
• Significant traffic removed from the A414 through Hertford, a reduction in private vehicle use for shorter trips with sustainable mode improvements, and improvements in local air quality.
• Enhanced public realm in the town.
While every effort would be made to mitigate the impact of the scheme, a bypass to the north or south of the town is likely to have a major impact on the local environment.