Congestion in Ware Road

The main aim of the proposals is improve the flow of traffic entering Hertford from Ware Road during peak times in order to improve the reliability of the many bus services that use this route.

These proposals are a key component of Hertfordshire County Council's Lea Valley Green Route Project which aims to improve the quality and reliability of buses operating between Hertford and Waltham Cross and so make bus travel a more attractive alternative to car use.

The proposals for Bluecoats & Mill Road are a development of outline options that were first displayed at last year's public consultation on the Ware Road proposals. At this consultation the consensus from local people and other consultees was that the main cause of problems for bus services was the traffic congestion at the end of Ware Road where it joins the A414 Bluecoats roundabout. The current proposals seek to address these problems and provide other benefits as described below.

Bluecoats Roundabout & Mill Road Junction – New Traffic signals

Currently westbound traffic has great difficulty entering the Bluecoats roundabout from Ware Road at peak periods, due to the speed and volume of traffic passing through on the A414 Gascoyne Way/London Road. This causes tailbacks that commonly extend through the Mill Road junction and well beyond along Ware Road. At Mill Road junction this congestion causes tailbacks for traffic attempting to join Ware Road and in particular causes delay for bus services leaving Hertford.

Plan

To see a plan of the new traffic layout click here. The plan is 1024x633 pixels and takes around 35 seconds to download using a 56K modem.

The solution to these problems lies in the need to control the competing traffic streams at Bluecoats and Mill Road junctions, so as to give some much-needed priority to westbound traffic on Ware Road during peak times. Part-time traffic signals on Bluecoats roundabout and full-time signals at Mill Road junction will provide the control necessary to unlock the traffic congestion on Ware Road and Mill Road whilst managing the heavy flows on the A414. These signals will be controlled by means of sophisticated computer software that constantly gathers data about the traffic situation so that the signal timings can be adjusted to minimise congestion and delays and ensure that the two junctions work in a co-ordinated way. Also the signal controller will be able to detect the approach of a bus along Ware Road and give priority to that bus in order that delay is minimised.

Finally the signals will also have the facility to allow Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service and the Ambulance Service located on Old London Road to have priority when their vehicles need to pass through on emergency calls.

Pedestrian Crossings

New Traffic Layout

A major benefit of signalising the Mill Road junction is the opportunity to introduce controlled pedestrian crossings across Ware Road and the entrance to Mill Road itself. The proposed crossings would provide a safe and convenient means of crossing these busy roads and would be co-ordinated within the operation of the traffic lights to minimise disruption to traffic.

Hertford Bus Station Improvement & Bus Stops

Proposals have also been developed for improving the operation of the bus station in partnership with the owners and local interests. The new layout has been designed to improve access for buses and passengers at this important terminus for the Lea Valley Green Route. The design also takes account of the need for vehicle and pedestrian access for shoppers, residents and deliveries.

A new westbound bus stop serving the Addis development is proposed, along the lines of last years proposals and a right-turn facility into Railway Place will remove the existing bottleneck created by right-turners at this point.

The existing eastbound bus stop outside the TESCO supermarket is to be removed as the bus operators prefer the nearby, more popular stop on Mill Road and because it will help keep eastbound traffic moving on the busy Ware Road.

Right Turn Lanes

Right Turn lanes into Currie Street, Railway Place and the new Addis development will help to make full use of available road space at all times, avoiding the formation of 'mini-queues' in west and eastbound directions respectively.

Exhibition

A three-day public exhibition is to be held at the Corn Exchange, Hertford as follows: 3 - 7pm 5th & 6th July and 10am - 4pm 7th July. This will allow the public to view and comment on the proposals; to ask questions; and to make their views known. There will also be a questionnaire available at the exhibition to make formal comments.

In addition, visitors to the exhibition will have the opportunity to view 'real-time' computer simulations of existing and proposed traffic behaviour, which will help people's understanding of how the proposals will work.

The exhibition will be publicised in the local press, by posters at prominent sites in the town and by mailshot to the area of Hertford which is most affected.

Plan of Ware Road Proposals
(1024x633, Filesize:150K, Download time at 56K: 35 seconds)