05 Mar 2024
The potential introduction of new bus lanes on the A1081 London Road – a scheme first revealed in the St Albans Times – are now open for public consultation.
As part of its Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), which is fully funded by the Department for Transport, Herts county council is proposing two new bus lanes to improve journey times in and out of the city centre.
The first would run northbound between the junctions at Drakes Drive and Mile House Lane, with new traffic signals giving priority to buses at Mile House Lane junction.
The second bus lane would be southbound from London Road cemetery to the junction with Nightingale Lane just before the London Colney roundabout on the A414.
The consultation is also asking for views on whether the speed limit between Drakes Drive and Mile House Lane should be reduced from 40mph to 30mph.
Anthony Rowlands, county councillor for St Albans East, is unsure about the merits of the scheme: “HCC has received over £29 million project funding from the Government to improve bus links between a number of main towns including St Albans.
“As part of this project, County are proposing to create two sections of bus lanes on the London Road, one between Drakes Drive and St Vincents Drive heading towards the city and the other from the cemetery entrance to the London Colney roundabout heading south.
“These are significant proposals which will have a major impact on traffic movements.
“Along with the three district councillors for Cunningham Ward, I have expressed serious concerns that, while the plans are intended to be more environmentally sustainable, they will not actually improve bus services significantly and will likely cause worse traffic congestion and emissions in London Road.
“We welcome County’s decision to accept our request that a reduction of the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph is included in this consultation exercise.
“However, we regret that County appear to have confined the proposed speed reduction to a short stretch between Drakes Drive and Mile House Lane rather than the much longer section between the Highfield Park Drive roundabout and the existing 30mph zone starting near the junction with Cunningham Avenue.
“We have insisted upon wide-ranging public consultation for residents who live near London Road to register their support or opposition.
“County have assured us that they will heed public responses.”
Details of the full proposals and a questionnaire are available on the HCC website. To find out more about these schemes and others, including increasing the number of buses on busy routes, improving fares, simplifying ticketing and upgrading passenger information points, visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk0
You can view the proposals at a free public event:
- Thursday March 7, 3.30–7pm at St Luke’s Church, 46 Cell Barnes Lane, St Albans, AL1 5QJ
