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North Central Hertfordshire
Growth and Transport Plan
Prospectus
2019
Hitchin
Baldock
Royston
Stevenage
Letchworth
Garden City
APPENDIX A
1
What is a Growth and
Transport Plan and why is it
needed?
A Growth and Transport Plan (‘GTP’) has been developed by
Hertfordshire County Council with involvement from district/
borough councils and other stakeholders, to consider the
key problems and opportunities which currently exist or may
occur in the future on the transport network, and to identify
what types of interventions are needed to improve the
transport network.
A GTP is a supporting document to the County Council’s
Local Transport Plan 4 which defines the important policies
and priorities affecting transport across Hertfordshire. A
GTP identifies what interventions could be required to
deliver the County Council’s overarching policies and
priorities.
The North Central (NC) GTP is one of five GTPs being
developed for different parts of Hertfordshire. It covers the
towns of Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City,
Baldock and Royston, and key transport links between these
towns and to surrounding areas. The South Central (SC) GTP
has been developed along the NC GTP and covers the
southern end of the A1(A1(M) including Welwyn Garden City.
The two GTPs are therefore aligned and packages of
interventions will work together.
Important transport links in this area include the A1(M), A10,
A505, A507, A602 and B197 roads, the East Coast Main
Line and Cambridge railway lines, the National Cycle Route
12 and a range of local and longer distance bus and coach
services.
This area faces significant levels of proposed new housing
and employment development. This will create additional
travel pressure on different parts of the transport network
including extra cars on roads and people needing to access
jobs, schools, shops and key services on foot, by bike and
by public transport.
New homes and jobs are also proposed in surrounding areas
including Central Bedfordshire, South Cambridgeshire,
Luton (including the airport) and the rest of Hertfordshire.
To help ensure the transport network continues to work
safely and efficiently, the GTP identifies packages of
interventions. These interventions could address current
and future traffic congestion issues; provide more
opportunities and choice for people to walk, cycle or travel
by bus and train; and help to reduce the negative impacts
that transport can have on communities including noise and
poor air quality. Interventions can be small or large, and
could be introduced in the near future or the longer term
depending on whether or not there is local support for them;
how complex they are to develop; when they are needed,
and if enough funding is available.
1 | What is a Growth
and Transport Plan
and why is it
needed?
2 | What are the
objectives of the
GTP?
3 | How has the GTP
been developed?
4 | What does the
GTP propose?
5 | How you can
have a say on the
GTP & Next Steps
1 | 2
Hitchin
Stevenage
Baldock
Letchworth Garden
City
Royston
Knebworth
North Central GTP
indicative area of focus
Highway network
National Cycle Routes
Railways
3
What are the objectives of
the GTP?
Objectives are important as they can help to guide the
preparation of a Growth and Transport Plan and ensure
the types of interventions and decisions being made will
lead to the right outcomes.
Six objectives are identified for the NC GTP based on the
following themes (which are closely aligned with
Hertfordshire County Council’s LTP4):
The six objectives provide guidance on what the NC GTP
should aim to achieve.
These objectives seek to improve transport links between
and within towns and rural areas; reducing disruption to
improve journeys; making transport networks and services
more accessible for different people particularly those in
more remote areas; enhancing neighbourhood and town
centres to support vibrant communities and boosting the
economy; and preserve and enhance the local
environment and quality of life.
Planning for transport needs to move away from the
building of new roads as the main way of dealing with the
effects of planned new homes and jobs. Whilst more
targeted improvements to some roads will continue to be
required, this approach is no longer sustainable as it can
have long lasting, negative impacts on the environment
and local communities. Instead, there needs to be a focus
towards making journeys by sustainable modes of travel
like walking, cycling and public transport, easier and more
attractive to people. This shift in approach provides a
backdrop to LTP4 and to the proposals put forward in the
NC GTP.
1 | What is a Growth
and Transport Plan
and why is it
needed?
2 | What are the
objectives of the
GTP?
3 | How has the GTP
been developed?
4 | What does the
GTP propose?
5 | How you can
have a say on the
GTP
2 | 4
How was the GTP developed?
The process of developing the
NC GTP starts with a review of
evidence at Stage 1. This
evidence includes UK Census
data which shows where people
travel to and from for work and
by which mode of transport, e.g.
car or train; data on how the
transport network currently
operates, e.g. where traffic
delays and congestion can occur, and how it is predicted
to operate in the future; and information on where new
homes and jobs are planned.
At Stage 2, the evidence is
used to identify where
improvements are needed. The
NC GTP area is very large, and it
would therefore not be feasible
or affordable for the County
Council to address all known
growth and transport
challenges. The approach has
therefore been to prioritise movements between locations
(what are called Interactions) to help focus on where
improvements are most needed.
Stage 3 Option Development
involves using the evidence of
the current and future growth
and transport challenges
reviewed during Stage 1, and the
outcomes identified at Stage 2,
to identify interventions which
are grouped into Packages.
Following public
consultation
comments will
be reviewed and
updates will be
made where
appropriate to
the NC GTP
before it is
adopted (Stage
5).
1 | What is a Growth
and Transport Plan
and why is it
needed?
2 | What are the
objectives of the
GTP?
3 | How has the GTP
been developed?
4 | What does the
GTP propose?
5 | How you can
have your say on the
GTP
3 | 6
What does the GTP propose?
The proposals in the NC GTP are defined as
Interventions.
Interventions can vary a lot in scale and form. To help the
County Council plan for and prioritise interventions, it is
important that that smaller interventions are distinguished
from larger interventions as this could help the council
identify some ‘quick wins’, i.e. those interventions that can
be implemented and lead to benefits to transport users in
a shorter amount of time. It can also help the council
identify the more complex interventions that will require a
lot more detailed investigations.
In all cases more work and further consultation with local
communities and stakeholders will be needed before any
of the interventions are implemented.
Smaller, potentially simpler and cheaper interventions are
classed as Projects. Some Projects are strongly linked
with each other and it is recommended that they are
developed and implemented at the same time - these are
called Linked Project Groups. Larger, more complex
interventions are classed as Schemes.
All of the interventions have been grouped into Packages.
A Package represents a collection of Interventions, all of
which aim to address the same growth and transport
challenges. Fifteen Packages have been defined in the NC
GTP. These are summarised over the next few pages, and
are grouped by town, starting in Stevenage and ending in
Royston.
More detailed information is contained in the NC GTP
Interventions Paper.
1 | What is a Growth
and Transport Plan
and why is it
needed?
2 | What are the
objectives of the
GTP?
3 | How has the GTP
been developed?
4 | What does the
GTP propose?
5 | How you can
have a say on the
GTP
4 | 8
Package Name
Stevenage PK1 Gunnels Wood and Town Centre
PK2 North and West Stevenage
PK3 East and South East Stevenage
Stevenage
connections
to other
towns
PK4 Stevenage to Welwyn Garden City
PK5 Stevenage to Hitchin, Luton and Luton Airport
PK6 Stevenage to Letchworth Garden City
Hitchin PK7 Hitchin Centre including Rail Station
PK8 North Hitchin and Industrial Estate
PK9 West Hitchin
Hitchin
connections
to other
towns
PK10 Hitchin to Letchworth Garden City / Baldock
PK11 Letchworth Centre and Industrial Estate
Letchworth
Garden City PK12 North Letchworth Garden City
Baldock PK13 Baldock connectivity, rail station and
development
Connections
to Central
Bedfordshire
towns
PK14 Shefford, Arlesey and Stotfold to Hitchin and
Letchworth Garden City
Royston PK15 Royston
Types of
interventions
proposed in
the NC GTP
9
Packages 1-3
PK01
Gunnels Wood and
Town Centre
PK02
North and West
Stevenage
PK03
• Cycle routes connecting new development in North Stevenage to the town centre
and Gunnels Wood employment area via cycleway network
• Improvements to Stevenage rail station
• North-South high quality bus corridors
To facilitate access by sustainable modes to Gunnels
Wood Road industrial estate and the town centre.
To facilitate access by sustainable modes between
new developments in North and West Stevenage, and
the town centre and business parks.
• Cycle routes connecting new development in North Stevenage to the town centre
via cycleway network
• Improvements to bus services between new development sites and the town cen-
tre
East and South East
Stevenage
To facilitate access by sustainable modes between
East and Southeast Stevenage, and the town centre
and business parks.
• Cycle routes connecting new development in East and Southeast Stevenage to the
town centre via cycleway network
Stevenage
£31m-£124m 2-10 years
£10m-£20m 2-5 years
£5m-£11m 2-5 years
10
New bus interchange
closer to the railway
station
A town-wide cycle
hire scheme
Stevenage Railway Station
Improvement including an
extra platform to
accommodate extra train
services
Lytton Way
(adjacent to the
railway station
closed to through
traffic (to provide
better links for
pedestrians,
cyclists and buses
Stevenage North-South
Bus Corridor which will
give priority to buses in
busy traffic
A new cycle hub at Stevenage
Rail Station for safe, secure
cycle parking and repairs
Better walking and cycling
links to the town centre
New and improved bus services and cycle
routes between planned housing
developments, the town centre and
Gunnels Wood employment area
Stevenage
B1037
J7
J8
Town
Centre Gunnels Wood
11
Packages 4-6
PK04
Stevenage to Welwyn
Garden City
PK05
Stevenage to Hitchin,
Luton and Luton Airport
PK06
• Seeking the upgrade of the 300/301 bus service;
• Journey time reliability with the reduction of on street parking;
• Development of a cycling route along the B197 corridor;
• New sustainable connections from planned housing development to Knebworth
station.
To improve reliability and enable faster journey times
for public transport along the B197 from Welwyn to
Stevenage.
To develop a multimodal corridor between Stevenage,
Hitchin and Luton Airport that supports public
transport and cycling through improvement of existing
infrastructure.
• Development of the Stevenage-Hitchin-Luton Airport bus corridor considering
bus priority and capacity improvements to key junctions.
• Improved pedestrian accessibility between Stevenage and Hitchin with the
creation of inter-urban cycleway.
Stevenage to
Letchworth Garden City
To form a sustainable corridor between Stevenage and
Letchworth Garden City by upgrading existing cycling
infrastructure, improving the public realm in villages on
B197 as well as ensuring bus priority.
• Reconfigure B197/A505 junction to reduce bus journey times.
• Upgrade current National Cycle Route 12 between Letchworth Garden City and
Stevenage.
Stevenage connections to other towns
£6m-£13m 2-5 years
£17m-£65m 2-10 years
£2.5m-£6m 2-5 years
12
Improvements at
the A602/B656
Hitchin Hill
Roundabout to
reduce traffic
delays
Measures to improve journey time reliability
through Knebworth London Road/High Street
Introduce traffic
signals at the
Little Wymondley
T-junction on the
A602 between
Hitchin and
Stevenage with
bus priority
New walking and cycling connections to
housing development in Knebworth
Improved Stevenage to
Welwyn Garden City cycle
route
Improved Stevenage-Luton/Luton
Airport Bus Services New Stevenage to
Hitchin Cycle Route
A505/Pirton Road/
Upper Tilehouse Street
junction improvement
Improvements to A1(M) J8 to reduce
delays and include priority for buses
Improved
Letchworth Garden
City to Stevenage
cycle route
Introduce traffic signals at the B197/A505 junction
including a right-turn facility exclusively for buses
Stevenage
Luton
Hitchin
Letchworth
Garden City
Welwyn
Garden City
Knebworth
B197 London Road cycle
enhancements
13
Packages 7-9
PK07
Hitchin Centre
Including Rail Station
PK08
North Hitchin and
Industrial Estate
PK09
• Development and promotion of a bus interchange with improved information in
Hitchin town centre, with support for existing services.
• New eastern entrance to the rail station to facilitate multimodal trips.
• Improved pedestrian and cyclist accessibility to Hitchin Station including a new
pedestrian priority corridor along the B656, combined with improved facilities at
Hitchin Station.
• Parking restrictions around Hitchin station to encourage active transport.
To encourage use of public transport through support
for services and creation of a safe and attractive
corridor in which to take advantage of the services
within Hitchin Centre and Rail Station.
To build connections to the development site H1 and
industrial estate with public transport and increased
links to active transport infrastructure.
• New and improved active infrastructure links from the industrial estate and new
development to the rail station.
• Bus service to new development.
West Hitchin
To unlock the potential for active trips with high quality
improvements to pedestrian and cycling infrastructure
from Hitchin Westmill and Bearton areas to the town
centre.
• High quality access to the new development.
• New cycle infrastructure to link Westmill and Bearton areas to the town centre.
Hitchin
£1.3m-£4.5m 2-10 years
£1.6m-£4.5m 2-10 years
£2.5m-£6m 2-5 years
14
New North Hitchin
cycle route
Management of on-street parking
around the Railway Station
B656 Walsworth Road
Pedestrian Priority
Corridor
New walking, cycling and
bus links to planned housing
developments north and
west of Hitchin
Extra Bedford
Road Pedestrian
Crossings
Bus service
improvements to
Hitchin Station
Improved cycle parking
facilities at Hitchin Station
B655 A new ‘on-street’
bus interchange in
Hitchin town centre A505
A505
Town
Centre
New Eastern
Entrance to the
Railway Station
Industrial Estate pedestrian
and cycle access
Hitchin
15
Packages 10-13
PK10
Hitchin-Connections to
other towns
PK11
Letchworth Centre and
Industrial Estate
PK12
• Creation of a continuous cycle network along A505 with cycle priority at junctions.
• Create a cycle hub at Hitchin rail station with improved facilities and increased cycle
parking.
To enhance cycling infrastructure between Hitchin,
Letchworth Garden City and Baldock; and make it a safe
and attractive option for sustainable trips.
To increase active transport provision between the
centre of Letchworth Garden City and the Industrial
Estate by providing a signposted and connected active
transport network.
• A cycle route which connects the main employment areas to Baldock and the rail
station and links to a signed network.
• Linking the current network to new routes combined with town centre cycle
parking to ensure access to key areas.
North Letchworth
Garden City
To provide improved sustainable connections by
supporting a more frequent bus connection as well as a
cycling facility between north Letchworth Garden City
and the town centre.
• Sustainable access to the development, with us, cycle and pedestrian options.
• Ensuring there are links between northern Letchworth Garden City and town centre by
bike, as well as providing bike parking at the
station.
Hitchin-Letchworth-Baldock
PK13
Baldock Connectivity
To make Baldock a safe, convenient and attractive
place to make sustainable transport trips through
improvements to cycling and walking infrastructure
and facilities as well as bus journeys.
• Provide an improved link to Clothall Common from the rail station with cycle parking at
the station.
• Create active transport links between new development at Land North and Baldock
and Land South of Clothall Common to the sustainable spine.
• Support current bus routes’ level of service.
£2.5m-£5.5m 2-10 years
£2m-£4m 2-10 years
£2m-£4m 2-5 years
£3m-£6.5m 2-5 years
16
Improved Letchworth Town
Centre and Rail Station Cycle
Parking
New Hitchin railway station to
Town Centre Cycle Route
Baldock Rail
Station Cycle
Parking
improvements
Improved cycle route
signage to Letchworth
Garden City Railway Station
Better Pedestrian
Crossings on the A505
A505 Cycle Route and Junction
Improvements to provide
priority for cyclists
Hitchin Rail Station
Cycle Hub for safe
and secure parking
and repairs
Bus links between new
housing development north
of Letchworth Garden City,
the station and town centre
Improved and new cycle routes
across North Letchworth Garden
City
New bus links to
new housing
development in
Baldock
New link roads providing access to
development around Baldock and helping
to reduce through-traffic in the town
Hitchin
Letchworth
Garden City
Baldock
J8
J9
J10
Baldock to
Letchworth Garden
City cycle route
17
PK14 Shefford, Arlesey &
Stotfold to Hitchin &
Letchworth Garden City
• Encouragement of Central Beds to promote Arlesey rail station for trips to Stevenage
and Hitchin.
• Upgrade of existing active infrastructure to promote a modal shift from Henlow Camp
and Stotfold.
To encourage a modal shift in trips from Central
Bedfordshire to Hertfordshire through support for
development trips to use sustainable modes as well as
creation of inter-urban cycling and walking routes.
Central Beds Connections
Cycle Routes to Henlow
Camp and Stotfold
Sustainable access to
Hitchin, Letchworth Garden
City and Stevenage from
the A507 corridor (Central
Bedfordshire)
Shefford
Arlesey
Hitchin
Letchworth
Garden City
Stotfold
Package 14
£1.5m-£3.5m Linked to
development
18
PK15
Royston
• Cycling connections across the A505 to the Melbourn Greenway.
• Development of cycling network along radial routes combined with cycle parking at
the station.
• Improved connectivity to the industrial estate.
• Improved facilities and information at Royston bus station.
To transform Royston into a town that facilitates safe,
attractive and convenient journeys by active and
sustainable transport modes.
Royston
Melbourn Greenway
connection to Royston
Improved Cycle
Parking at
Royston station
Creation of a joined
up cycling network
across Royston
Royston Bus
Interchange
Improvement
Improved connections
between the towns
centre and industrial
estates
Royston
Package 15
£6m-£14m 2-5 years
19
How you can have a say on
the GTP
This draft North Central Growth and Transport
Plan was published on #DATE TO BE INSERTED
HERE#.
The public consultation is open until #DATE TO BE
INSERTED HERE#.
The NC GTP documents are available at
www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/about-the-
council/consultations
We are interested in hearing your views on the NC
GTP and would encourage feedback via our online
survey.
Alternatively views can be submitted via:
#NAME TO BE INSERTED
HERE#@hertfordshire.gov.uk
or
North Central Growth and Transport Plan,
Postal Point CHN115, Hertfordshire County Coun-
cil, County Hall, Pegs Lane, Hertford, SG13 8DN
Responses are welcomed from individuals or on be-
half of organisations. If you have any queries on this
consultation, or require any of the materials in an al-
ternative format or language, please contact the
Growth and Transport Plan Team (Email: #INSERT
NAME HERE#@hertfordshire.gov.uk).
Next Steps
The next steps will be to take on board comments
received during this public consultation and make any
necessary amendments to the NC GTP. The aim then is to
adopt the GTP in 2020. The proposed interventions will
then be prioritised and investigated in more detail. There
will be further discussions with key stakeholders and local
communities before any of the interventions are intro-
duced on the transport network, and importantly, there will
need to be sufficient funding in place.
1 | What is a Growth
and Transport Plan
and why is it
needed?
2 | What are the
objectives of the
GTP?
3 | How has the GTP
been developed?
4 | What does the
GTP propose?
5 | How you can
have a say on the
GTP
5 | 20