Rush Green road layout changes to go ahead

East Herts District Council has approved plans to change the road layout outside the MacDonald's restaurant on the Rush Green roundabout.

The proposals were submitted by McDonald's Restaurants Ltd to address concerns about motorists queueing for the takeaway at the entrance to the restaurant, causing an obstruction to traffic joining from Stansted Road and blocking a designated urban clearway.

The plans include re-aligning the approach road and providing an additional lane for queueing traffic.

In comments submitted to the council Hertfordshire Highways said: "this application follows on from discussions with the Highway Authority spanning several years seeking to address the sometimes long queue backs onto the circulatory carriageway and the Stanstead Road arm approach. This results in the free flow of traffic being significantly affected at peak times, and a resultant perception of adverse safety conditions.

"Tthe Highway Authority would make clear this scheme is likely to have only a marginal benefit, and is unlikely to resolve the ueueing experienced in this area. It does not represent a long-term solution, and the Highway Authority wishes to see the applicant positively and proactively present further improvement schemes which will more meaningfully address the wider issues arising from their development traffic on the public highway network in the long term. The Highway Authority has sought to engage with the applicant in the past and suggested a number of other options, including fundamental internal design changes and new access points. The Highway Authority continues to encourage the applicant to positively consider such design suggestions."

Residents have also raised concerns regarding highway safety and traffic congestion. Residents are concerned that the proposal does not address the concern of traffic building up on the roundabout and would worsen traffic on Stanstead Road whilst only alleviating 3-4 cars in the new access road to McDonald's.

The restaurant was established around 20 years ago after the local planning authority granted planning permission for the fast food outlet in 2001.

It is unclear when work will start on the changes.