Proposed Main Modifications

We are writing about the Local plan and the Main Modifications for which we understand the consultation period is extended until 11th April.
Having read the documents my husband and I are very concerned about the planned developments and the lack of provision for sustainable transport links.
Significant growth during the plan period in North Herts and The East of Luton, will have a profound adverse effect on the A 505. The A 505 is identified in the plan as the main west to east route in North Herts, and one that has existing capacity issues. It runs from Luton through Hitchin, Letchworth, Baldock and Royston. The scale of growth in the plan will result in a significant increase of traffic on this road that would amount to an unacceptable impact without proper management.

The A505 A602 and A600 all converge on the Three Moorhens roundabout and Paynes Park giratory system. This is where dual carriageways from Stevenage direction and Luton direction reduce to single carriageways. Extra traffic here will not be sustainable and measures must be taken to mitigate the impact. We feel that The Plan identifies the problem but doesn't solve it by providing a by pass, relying on changes at three junctions instead. The 2 miles between Ashbrook on the A602 and the Willow Lane junction with the A505 are where the problems lie and traffic flow issues around roundabouts and traffic lights have already been addressed in the past to assist with the flow of traffic here.
Furthermore, the air quality at points along the A505, Parkway in Hitchin and A602, are already a matter for concern, exceeding the health based limits set by government in two areas and NHDC has designated them as Air Quality Management Areas.
The sustainable appraisal suggests that amoungst other things The Local Plan be used to : avoid exacerbating local traffic congestion
: achieve good air quality
: reduce ambient noise especially from traffic
So without a southern by pass for Hitchin the plan is not sound as all these will be exasperated rather than minimised. Plans to have traffic lights at junctions will in fact delay movement through the town as vehicles will spend longer in congested areas and cause more pollution. The Plan does therefore, in our opinion, need further modification to include a by pass to address the congestion issues.
Serious consideration should also be given to the effect on the A 505 corridor of the likely long term cumulative traffic impact of growth in the East of Luton, otherwise an unreasonable additional burden will be placed on the existing infrastructure even though the stated aim is to achieve better transport.
The Local Plan accepts that in Hitchin existing traffic growth may result in junction capacity issues, but new developments will turn the congestion into a totally unacceptable problem. It already takes me 35 minutes to do a 5 minute journey from the A 505 on the Luton side of Hitchin to Hitchin Station to collect my husband in rush hour traffic. An extra 30 minutes is pollution and sitting in jams. The overall effect of The Local Plan is lightly to be negative on delivering a sustainable transport system unless it delivers a Hitchin Bypass.
Finally how can a NHDC plan that involves a bypass for Letchworth Baldock and Royston but not Hitchin be considered a Just plan ? Is it a just society that allows poor air quality and congestion and a very noisy traffic corridor through Hitchin, but not through Letchworth Baldock or Royston ?
It is our opinion that the modified Local Plan and Local Transport Plan will create significant additional demands and burdens without implementing suitable infrastructure required to mitigate the harm to an acceptable level.