22 Jun 2023
A major city centre road is going to be cut in half as part of a new county council trial into introducing a new cycling lane.
Under the latest proposal, a new carriageway layout will be introduced on Marlborough Road between New Kent Road and Victoria Street from Monday.
Marlborough Road will remain one-way northbound for motor vehicles, but in order to provide space for a southbound cycle lane along the street, HCC is proposing to remove the dedicated right-turn lane at the junction with Victoria Street.
Although vehicles can still turn right at this junction, all traffic will be condensed into one lane, with barriers introduced to prevent vehicles using the right-hand side of the road.
A previous attempt to restrict movement by simply painting white lines on the road proved disastrous, with motorists confused by the sudden change in layout.
This new layout will be trialled for six weeks between Monday June 26 and Friday August 4, following which date the road will be returned to its previous format. The proposed southbound cycle lane will not be operational during the trial.
These proposals are part of a set of measures aimed at making walking and cycling more attractive travel options in the area financed by the Active Travel Fund scheme.
Only residents and businesses in Marlborough Road were contacted about the trial.
St Albans council leader and county councillor Chris White responded to the proposals: “”Personally I think this is a nonsense. It is self-evident that losing a lane on Marlborough Road risks causing congestion. It’s simple maths: if you halve the width of the road you double the length of the queue. I have made this clear to the county council all along.
“There is also long-standing concern among local residents whom I met again last night. I am sending the county council a further list of questions as a result of that meeting.”
But not everyone is opposed to the scheme.
Gary Alderson, who is a resident of Benedictine Place off London Road, describes himself as a pedestrian, cyclist and motorist, and is fully in favour of the proposals.
“This trial forms part of the larger scheme to improve the Marlborough Road/London Road junction funded by central government. The overall scheme has been in development and repeated public consultation since 2020. It will bring significant benefits for pedestrians, cyclists, and other wheeled users whilst smoothing traffic flow on London Road with safer traffic turns etc from London Road onto Marlborough Road.
“London Road has become increasingly difficult to safely cross in recent years and there has been an increase in local population due to residential development including numbers of children. The proposed scheme will directly address safe crossing of London Road by all users.
“60 per cent of respondents supported the proposed scheme. Despite this it was felt necessary for a partial trial to be carried out and then a further consultation exercise. The stretch of Marlborough Road affected by the trial already operates, in part as a single lane due to on street parking. Most vehicles turn left or go straight on at the junction with Victoria Street, very few turn right.”
