Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

Policy SP6: Sustainable Transport and Supporting Text

Objection

I object to the policy SP6 and it's supporting text on the basis that the evidence base supporting the policy is flawed.

It is indicated these changes are proposed to both address existing traffic capacity issues on the local road network and provide increased capacity to accommodate traffic generated by the additional housing being proposed in Hitchin in the Draft Local Plan.

However, the Councils evidence base supporting these changes, fails to factor in traffic generated by the expanded Luton Airport or development proposed in the emerging Luton Local Plan that would travel along the A505 into and through Hitchin. Furthermore this evidence base indicates that the proposed transport changes would only just provide sufficient capacity to accommodate the demand identified. Clearly if the traffic generated by the expanded Luton Airport and development proposed in the emerging Luton Local Plan were factored in, then these works would be insufficient.

An additional factor should be the suitability of the existing roads to accommodate the level of predicted traffic. All of this traffic would travel through Hitchin via Moormead Hill and Upper Tilehouse Street. These are single lane roads with residential dwellings on either side and run through a catchment area for Samuel Lucas JMI school. These factors conflict with increased capacity in the following ways:

1. The roads and pavements along Upper Tilehouse Street are narrow and result in extremely close proximity of high volume traffic and pedestrians. The traffic includes a high volume of HGV's and the pedestrian flows include a large number of infants and children travelling to and from the school. This is just an accident waiting to happen.

2. Traffic travelling up Moormead Hill regularly travels far too fast and represents a safety hazard for children and parents trying to cross this road.

3. Upper Tilehouse Street is suffering from high levels of air pollution and the Upper Tilehouse Street/Paynes Park junction is to be designated an Air Quality Control Area as a result. The predicted additional traffic, and the additional traffic not taken into account, will exacerbate this problem within a residential area.

The above safety and health factors demonstrate that Moormead Hill and Upper Tilehouse Street are unsuitable as strategic roads and strategic traffic should be diverted along an alternative route.

I understand from the Hertfordshire County Council Local Transport Plan that it states that Hertfordshire County Council are encouraging 'all members to give their views on the consultation, and to promote the consultation to their constituents'. I find this difficult to believe as neither myself or any of my neighbours, had been made aware of these proposals.