5) Strategies and objectives

5.7 West Hertfordshire

map of west herts area

©Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Hertfordshire County Council, LA 076678, 2000

The West Hertfordshire area covers the towns of Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring, with a total population of 112,000. It is based on a natural transport corridor which includes the A41 Trunk Road, the West Coast Main Line and the Grand Union Canal. This area will be affected by the proposed Leavesden development in the adjacent South West Hertfordshire area, as it is situated on the A41 corridor which forms the spine of the area.

The overall financial profile for the West Hertfordshire area is shown in the table below. The Area Plan which will integrate all of these elements will be developed in 2006/07 – 2007/08 following the processes set out in Section 4.2.

Table 5.7(1) West Hertfordshire Programme

Programme

(£’000)

 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06
Hemel Hempstead Plan 1305 1050 705 695 600
Tring Plan - - - 500 500
           
TOTAL 1305 1050 705 1195 1100
Bid (excl. Majors) 825 775 625 1125 1000
Bid (Majors) - - - - -
Other Investment Programmes 480 275 80 70 100

The West Hertfordshire Area will also benefit from investment from the countywide themes and programmes to maintain existing service levels as appropriate (see sections 5.8 - 5.15).

The West Hertfordshire Area Plan will be developed to tackle both in-town transport problems in the main settlements of Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, Tring and Kings Langley and to address inter-urban problems along the A41 corridor which links those four centres to towns to the north such as Aylesbury and Bicester and with the South West Hertfordshire Area Plan. Major consideration will also be given to developing viable links to the urban centres from their surrounding rural areas, and to addressing the significant need to develop passenger transport infrastructure particularly to the east and west of the Dacorum Borough, which currently constitutes a major obstacle to the reduction of traffic within West Hertfordshire and adjacent areas.

Current work has focused on Hemel Hempstead and to a lesser extent Tring. The intention is to expand this work to address the other issues as outlined above for inclusion in the full Local Transport Plan. The current bid reflects this position.

(a) Hemel Hempstead Plan

As a new town, much of Hemel Hempstead is designed for the private car, although in recent times there has been increasing traffic congestion and pollution. In 1990, consultants were jointly commissioned by the County Council and Dacorum Borough Council to produce a study of the town’s problems and consider solutions. Further work and public consultation was subsequently carried out in order to develop the study into the Hemel Hempstead Transportation Plan which considered all of the key elements of an urban transport plan as set out in section 5.15.

The key elements of the plan are shown in the table and described below :

Table 5.7(2) Hemel Hempstead Plan Programme

Scheme (£’000) 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06
A41 Corridor Study 100 100 - - -
Bus Infrastructure 575 300 100 100 100
Cycling Facilities 130 100 85 85 85
Parking 100 50 50 50 50
Pedestrian Facilities 50 150 120 110 100
Safer Routes to Schools 150 150 150 150 150
Traffic Management 200 200 200 200 115
           
TOTAL 1305 1050 705 695 600
Bid (excl. Majors) 825 775 625 625 500
Bid (Majors)          
Other Investment Programmes 480 275 80 70 100

(i) Bus Infrastructure

A rolling programme of infrastructure improvements is required across the town to encourage bus patronage including junction improvements, introduction of bus priority, the improvement of existing bus stops, provision for new shelters and refurbishment of the bus station. The aim of these schemes is to provide a better quality environment for bus passengers and a more efficient facility for operators.

(ii) Cycling Facilities

A local strategy for cycling in Hemel Hempstead has been developed by Dacorum Borough Council. A network of advisory routes have recently been implemented although further work needs to be carried out to enable the development of a comprehensive network of cycle routes and parking facilities in the town centre.

(iii) Parking

A strategy is being developed to manage and control town centre parking including the possible introduction of a controlled parking zone and provision for an increase in short-term and a reduction in long-term parking in the town centre area.

(iv) Pedestrian Facilities

A key strategy of the Hemel Hempstead Transportation Plan is to encourage walking. The improvement of existing routes, provision for new links and additional crossing facilities need to be developed and implemented.

(v) Safer Routes To Schools

As well as educating children about transport and alternatives to car travel, it is important for them to be able to use alternatives. This innovative project aims to empower children and parents by routes to schools which give priority to pedestrians and cyclists. By providing a safer environment for travel, cycling and walking become much more attractive for the journey to school than using the car.

(vi) Traffic Management

Traffic management schemes are needed in various locations around the town. The resulting decrease in vehicle speeds will reduce accidents and improve safety, as well as improving the urban environment. Suitable schemes and area wide measures need to be developed following further consultation with local people.

(vii) North East Hemel Hempstead

The urban plan will also have regard to the transport needs of the North East Hemel Hempstead key employment site (see box).

NORTH EAST HEMEL HEMPSTEAD KEY EMPLOYMENT SITE

The North East Hemel Hempstead key employment site is identified in the Structure Plan Review, the adopted Local Plan and in the Local Plan Review, which is the subject of a Local Plan Inquiry due to finish in Summer 2001. It is a 41 hectare site and is proposed for a mixture of employment uses and housing.

The development of this site is directly linked to the construction of the Hemel Hempstead North East Relief Road (NERR) as a single carriageway between the A414 and A4147. The need for the NERR to provide access to the site before a significant level of development takes place is established in the Local Plan and in the Hemel Hempstead Transportation Plan. The Local Plan Review also includes this requirement. There will also be a need for measures to improve access to the site for pedestrians, cyclists and by bus. These requirements are also established in the Local Plan Review.

(b) Tring Plan

The Tring Plan will be developed through local consultation. Work has already been undertaken by the Tring Environmental Forum to determine transport problems and to develop a strategy for solving them. However, it is anticipated that delivery of the plan will not begin until 2004/05. The County Council is also involved with the Chiltern Conference’s Central Chilterns Area Traffic Management Project which borders Tring.

The County’s Rail Prospectus identifies the needs for improved station interchange facilities, and it is hoped that these will be considered in future franchise replacement discussions.

(c) Long Term Measures

The following transport problem areas have been identified through consultation and other processes. They will be reviewed as the Area Plan is developed, but they are unlikely to be addressed during the current LTP period (2001/02 – 2005/06) with predicted available funding.