Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

I am writing to give my views on Policy SP6 within the draft North Herts Local Plan. I object to the proposals to widen the road and use traffic signals to accommodate higher volumes of traffic on the road. I believe this is absolutely the wrong approach to be taking to the high levels of traffic as the key point is that this volume of traffic is already passing through an infrastructure totally incapable of bearing it.

The A505 around Upper Tilehouse Street is an extremely busy road. Heavy lorries thunder through it at all times of the day. This is a narrow, single lane road with houses on both sides and many pedestrians using the unusually narrow pavements. These pedestrians are primarily families and parents with young children walking to Samuel Lucas JMI School and the preschool on Upper Tilehouse Street. I myself have young children and the brief distance we need to walk on Upper Tilehouse Street itself makes me extremely nervous. Wheels taller than the children's heads pass within centimetres of where they are walking. It is dangerous and steps should be taken to divert traffic away from this area, particularly the heavy goods vehicles, rather than making changes which will encourage traffic through this narrow corridor. I hate to think of the council being in the position of making these changes only at the point that a tragic accident demands it, but I feel this is an accident waiting to happen.

Moreover, there is the serious consideration of air pollution around this area, which has already been established, with the junction of Upper Tilehouse Street and Paynes Park to become an Air Quality Control Area. The proposals will not help this situation and moreover, introducing traffic lights with tailbacks of stationary queueing vehicles is more likely to produce higher levels of air pollution.

The council should consider growth which would be generated not just by new housing, but also by the proposed expansion of Luton Airport. I believe that these factors have not been taken into account in the evidence presented and that they will render a street already overloaded well beyond its capacity, totally incapable of managing the traffic flow. These measures are not sufficient and do not address the real problems in this area, nor do they provide a long term solution of any kind. I believe a bypass is needed to relieve the traffic through this part of Hitchin and make it a safer place for all of us, but especially for our young people.

Please do keep me informed about this policy. I have not been happy that as far as I can tell, there has been no attempt so far to inform residents in the local area about the proposals or this consultation.