This Document Is the Response of Essex County Council (ECC), The

M11 JUNCTION 7A - MAY -JULY 2016 FORMAL PUBLIC CONSULTATION : ECC RESPONSE OCTOBER 2016 This document is the response of Essex County Council (ECC), the promotor of the M11 Junction 7A and widening of Gilden Way scheme, to the public consultation undertaken between 11 May - 6 July 2016.

1. Introduction

We (Essex County Council) welcome the results of the public consultation and would like to thank everyone who took part for their time and considered responses.

As set out in the consultation document we have been considering the need for an additional M11 junction to serve Harlow for many years. In 2013 we set out the scheme objectives and started the process of developing and sifting the strategic options. This process included drawing together historic studies to identify and evaluate a short list of 6 strategic options, from which it was concluded that the M11 J7A option was the optimal solution and was, therefore taken forward to the next stage of design development.

In December 2013, public engagement events were held to provide information about the scheme and publicise the indicative design solutions for the scheme. From these events we learnt that there was continued support for a Northern Bypass either as an alternative to the proposed scheme or as a future scheme. The bypass was supported mainly because the public, local communities and organisations saw it as an opportunity to remove traffic from Harlow.

At this point we took action to address comments from the public and local councils and added an additional objective to design a new junction layout with greater potential for a link into a potential future Northern Bypass and consideration of what we had learnt informed the next stage of detailed design (before the public consultation).

In July 2015 further public information events were held to show the current technical designs of a proposed scheme. A number of engagement events were also held with local authorities and organisations to ensure information was cascaded to local communities and feedback taken into account.

Key findings from public information events and engagement:

• Concerns about noise and air quality. • Concerns about rat-running through Harlow, Old Harlow, Sheering Lower Road and Sheering, and increases in HGVs. • Concerns about access and severance primarily from residents of Old Harlow, Churchgate Street, Gilden Way and The Campions. • Concerns about road safety, particularly for schoolchildren. • Support for a Northern Bypass. • That the scheme should provide good value for money.

M11 JUNCTION 7A - MAY -JULY 2016 FORMAL PUBLIC CONSULTATION : ECC RESPONSE OCTOBER 2016 • Confusion with presentational material, particularly traffic flow information.

We took action to address these comments from the public and local councils and during the next stage of scheme development we made the following changes to the scheme:

• The removal of the ‘loop’ up ramp from the east bound link that was replaced with an at-grade roundabout to address residents’ concerns about the height of the scheme and impact on the environment • New junction to The Campions and a dedicated access road for all the properties; • New access to Mayfield Farm; • A 40mph speed limit on Gilden Way/Sheering Road and the new link road to the new Junction 7A roundabout; • Improvements to the Non-Motorised User (NMU) facilities throughout the scheme by creating a footway and cycleway from London Road to Sheering Road; • Improvements to the existing pedestrian crossing and 3 additional signalled crossings were incorporated into the scheme; • Improvements to the existing bus stops; • HGV ban covering Old Harlow and Churchgate Street; • Right turn ban into Old Harlow via Mulberry Green was incorporated to primarily address rat-running issues, but also safety concerns; • Restriction on non-residential movements along Lower Sheering Road; • We also ensured that the information that was presented for the public consultation was easier to interpret and engage with.

Between 11 May and 6 July 2016 we undertook a formal public consultation to obtain views from the public, communities, local councils, organisations and businesses about the scheme. This consultation was to inform our decision, by Cabinet, on the preferred route for the scheme. The next part of this report summarises how we carried out the consultation and our response to the consultee feedback received.

2. The consultation .

The consultation was on the proposed M11 Junction 7A and widening of Gilden Way scheme and consultees were asked about how well it would achieve the scheme objectives and invited comments on the scheme and the environmental findings.

The consultation was publicised through the ECC corporate social media accounts, local media reports of the launch event and consultation, and adverts placed in local papers.

In addition, during the consultation period, staffed public events were held in four locations to enable closer interaction with the project team and ECC officers so that

M11 JUNCTION 7A - MAY -JULY 2016 FORMAL PUBLIC CONSULTATION : ECC RESPONSE OCTOBER 2016 individuals and community representatives could better understand the proposals and how to take part in the consultation. A total of 477 people attended these events. The table below shows visitor numbers for each event.

St Johns Arts and Recreation Centre 140 Sheering Village Hall 180 Harlow Central Library 48 Mulberry Green Hall, Catholic Church of the Assumption 107

3. Responses

A total of 149 consultation responses were received including 6 responses from campaign groups. In addition a petition with 150 signatories was received expressing opposition to the scheme.

The figures overleaf illustrate the broad home locations of respondents to the consultation. This demonstrates that the highest number of responses were received from residents most likely to be affected by the scheme, ie along Gilden Way, in Old Harlow and in Churchgate Street.

We were pleased that so many people and organisations took the time both to attend and to respond.

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M11 JUNCTION 7A - MAY -JULY 2016 FORMAL PUBLIC CONSULTATION : ECC RESPONSE OCTOBER 2016 4. Our response to issues raised at consultation

The consultation asked 7 questions, 5 of these questions asked for the respondent to indicate their level of agreement with the statement (quantitative questions) as well as having an open question requesting detailed comments (qualitative question). The levels of agreement for each of the 5 questions are summarised in the next figure and the vertical dashed line shows the approximate mid-point of respondents who gave an answer.

Summary of Consultation Responses

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement ‘the scheme will provide support 16 22 9 13 35 5 for the predicted homes and jobs growth (from Local Plans)?

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement ‘the scheme will meet future 15 11 15 10 45 4 traffic demands’?

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement ‘the scheme will reduce 18 13 9 16 39 5 congestion primarily for the A414 corridor’

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement ‘the scheme will improve 28 15 4 15 33 5 accessibility to and from Harlow’?

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement ‘the traffic management for routes connecting to Gilden Way will ensure that 16 17 10 15 36 6 Old Harlow, Churchgate Street and Sheering Lower Road will not be adversely impacted by the scheme in 2021’?

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly Disagree No Answer

These questions provide a snapshot of the views of the consultees who chose to respond to the consultation. It demonstrates that a majority of consultees who responded disagreed or strongly disagreed that the scheme achieved the objectives.

M11 JUNCTION 7A - MAY -JULY 2016 FORMAL PUBLIC CONSULTATION : ECC RESPONSE OCTOBER 2016 It should be noted that for such a large scheme the number of consultation responses is low. If there was to be strong opposition to the utility of the scheme then we would expect larger numbers of respondents.

Although most people disagreed that the scheme would provide support for the growth in homes and jobs predicted by the emerging local plans, and that it would predict future needs, the modelling results clearly show that the scheme will improve the ability of the roads network to cope with growth. In the longer term more may be needed but this is the best scheme. It may be that, in the longer term, additional measures are needed to address the impact of growth on the highways network.

A majority of respondents disagreed that the scheme would reduce congestion on the A414 corridor and improve accessibility to Harlow. Again, the modelling shows that overall traffic congestion will reduce as a result of the introduction of the scheme, although this benefit may be offset by the impact of future growth.

A majority of respondents considered that traffic management would not be adequate to protect Old Harlow, Churchgate St and Sheering Lower Road. Although the modelling showed that the impact would be small, we have re-examined the proposals for Gilden Way to see if further activity can be undertaken to minimise this.

It is clear that there are a significant number of local residents, primarily those living close to Gilden Way who would prefer not to see the scheme built as it will increase traffic flows along Gilden Way. However, the capacity of Gilden Way will be increased and the scheme has been designed to minimise the impact on other locations.

The results of the consultation are detailed in the consultation response analysis report . This report is the summary of all responses. For each detailed question, responses were read, split into themes (through coding) and then analysed. In section 2 of the report a list of key issues raised by consultees is presented.

5. Key Issues and Actions

The key issues and our actions are summarised here, and the following table provides further details.

A bypass is the better or long term solution to reduce traffic in Harlow.

Action taken: After the 2013 public information events a scheme objective was added to address a future northern bypass and the proposed scheme now includes infrastructure to enable and ‘future proof’ the scheme. In addition Essex and Hertfordshire County Councils are engaging in a study of the A414 between the M11 and the A1 to more fully understand the longer term implications of growth in both the emerging and future Plan periods along the corridor and when specific interventions will be required.

M11 JUNCTION 7A - MAY -JULY 2016 FORMAL PUBLIC CONSULTATION : ECC RESPONSE OCTOBER 2016 Proposed scheme could move traffic and congestion to a new area or increase traffic and congestion rather than generating a reduction for Harlow.

Action taken: After the 2013 public information events the scheme was extended to include the widening of Gilden Way to improve the capacity of this main link to the new junction. Additional traffic management measures were also included to manage traffic impacts.

Following a technical review the Churchgate roundabout on Gilden Way has been redesigned to further improve traffic flows, along Gilden Way and also from Churchgate Street.

Traffic management measures would be difficult to enforce and more might be needed

Action taken : The project team will undertake a further review of traffic management measures before submitting the planning application. Monitoring of the local roads will be carried out before construction is undertaken to assess the need for any further measures once the scheme is operational.

Harlow’s road network can’t cope with the increased traffic and more improvements would be needed Action taken : Many consultees have, understandably, focused on the growth of traffic on Gilden Way. While we are clear that this will increase, the capacity on Gilden Way will also be increased. The scheme will support the whole of Harlow and the surrounding area and the emerging Local Plans of Harlow and neighbouring districts. At this stage we have not received information or evidence that would lead us to question the results of the traffic modelling, which shows that the scheme will be a positive addition to Harlow’s road network and will not generate significant extra traffic in Harlow. Impact of new developments Action taken: We are committed to continue our engagement with local authorities and their Local Plan processes. However, should anything substantially change in the proposals for Local Plans the project team will consider the impact of these on the wider Harlow network. Safety on Gilden Way and other local roads Action taken: Following the 2013 and 2015 information events the scheme has been changed to increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists. For example the access only road to The Campions has been made a shared surface. Once in place the scheme will be monitored to assess its effectiveness and, should further intervention be needed, action will be taken to address any concerns. Environment

M11 JUNCTION 7A - MAY -JULY 2016 FORMAL PUBLIC CONSULTATION : ECC RESPONSE OCTOBER 2016 Action taken : We are currently undertaking the next stage of design (following consultation) which will confirm mitigation measures, as part of the completion of the Environmental Statement. This will be submitted with the planning submission later this year.

Greater focus on public transport and non-motorised modes

Action taken: The project team has been asked to review measures included for non-motorised users ahead of the planning submission. Should any opportunities for additional measures be identified we do not believe it will significantly impact the design of the proposed scheme.

Public bodies need to work collaboratively .

Action taken: We would like to reassure the public that we are working closely with the district councils of Epping Forest, Harlow, Uttlesford and East Herts to deliver their Local Plans and this proposal in particular is key to accommodate the planned growth identified in these. In addition, as part of the Local Plan process, and as part of the day to day work, we have been engaging with the highway authorities of both Hertfordshire County Council and Highways England.

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Issue Raised (as stated in the Our response consultation response analysis report) A bypass is the better or long term While there was strong feeling amongst those who responded that an solution to reduce traffic in Harlow. alternative more strategic scheme( such as a Northern Bypass) was a better solution, no consultee presented information or evidence that would lead us to It was felt by many consultees that traffic reassess the assumptions drawn from the strategic assessment undertaken travelling through Harlow needed to be during the early stages of the project. While we acknowledge that a major removed in order to reduce congestion and scheme, such as a Northern Bypass may be needed in the future, the technical traffic related issues in the town. It was assessment and evidence to date shows that Junction 7A provides the best strongly noted that an alternative scheme to value for money, especially as most of the proposed scheme would be an bypass Harlow was seen as either the right integral part of a northern bypass solution. alternative solution, or as the next step or long term solution. Furthermore:

• The traffic modelling indicates that the current and proposed level of growth planned for Harlow does not yet justify a more strategic solution, ie a Northern Bypass, for Harlow within the emerging plan period; • Any potential strategic route has yet to be identified, and options for potential routes will need to be fully assessed in terms of impact on the environment, deliverability, value for money, safety, performance and strategic impact; any potential corridor for such a scheme would need to be identified through the Local Plan process and identified as a safeguarded corridor;

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Proposed scheme could move traffic and Traffic congestion is clearly an issue for residents and businesses in Harlow. congestion to a new area or increase Consultees were clearly concerned about the likely volume of traffic using traffic and congestion rather than Gilden Way and the impact of the scheme on adjoining communities and roads. generating a reduction for Harlow. While the impact of the scheme will be an increase of traffic on Gilden Way, it It was felt that the proposed scheme would also helps to manage the inevitable future traffic growth within Harlow. Without simply transfer the traffic problems and this scheme the current network will not be able to cope with future traffic impacts or increase traffic, in particular for growth, a large proportion of which will be funneled through one route, the Gilden Way, Old Harlow and Sheering Road. A414, to one motorway junction, J7. With Junction 7A in place, this traffic will have an alternative option and its implementation will ease congestion particularly in southern Harlow. We recognise the concerns of residents of Gilden Way and Old Harlow, which is why the scheme now includes the widening of Gilden Way and the NMU measures to facilitate safe movement along and across the road.

Furthermore, outside of this scheme: • We are working with Hertfordshire County Council, East Herts, Harlow and Epping Forest District Councils to develop a strategy to reduce congestion in Harlow. • The first phase has already begun with programmed improvements along the A414 at Edinburgh Way, First Avenue and already completed schemes at Second Avenue and Southern Way. Other measures under consideration include improved pedestrian and cycle routes as well as public transport improvements. Future phases would include improvements along the Second Avenue corridor between the A414 and the town centre and also works to the A1019 Velizy Avenue in the immediate east of the town centre. • Highways England are also proposing improvements for Junction 7 on the M11, which will increase the capacity of the junction.

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also included to manage traffic impacts.

Following a technical review the Churchgate roundabout on Gilden Way has been redesigned to further improve traffic flows, along Gilden Way and also from Churchgate Street.

Traffic management measures would be The proposed traffic management measures are designed to ensure that only difficult to enforce and more might be local traffic requiring access uses the minor road network, thereby encouraging needed through traffic to use more suitable main roads.

Traffic management measures were Once in place, the effectiveness of traffic management measures will be generally welcomed, however, a number of monitored and reviewed as part of the study into scheme benefits realisation. respondents questioned how these would be The enforcement of traffic management measures is a matter for the police. enforced. There were a number of additional roads which respondents felt also required The project team will review the selection of routes subject to traffic traffic management measures, for example management measures in the light of the comments from local residents and Sheering Road. Some respondents also felt businesses. that traffic management measures might increase rat-running on alternative routes, or Existing traffic calming measures in Old Harlow, particularly around local that new housing developments could have a schools, will be assessed to ensure that they continue to function effectively negative impact on the use of narrower local and safely. roads. The proposed approach to limiting access to The proposed right turn only access for buses and taxis at Mulberry Green is to Sheering Lower Road, while welcomed, also prevent inappropriate use of the route through Old Harlow. This does not raised some doubts that ‘local access only’ prevent local access to Old Harlow, which is still available via London Road. signage would be sufficient. A number of respondents also commented Action taken : The project team will undertake a further review of traffic on the banned right turn at Mulberry Green. management measures before submitting the planning application. Monitoring of the local roads will be carried out before construction is undertaken to assess the need for any further measures once the scheme is operational. Harlow’s road network can’t cope with the The proposed Junction 7A is designed to provide an additional access into increased traffic and more improvements Harlow from the M11, resulting in a better distribution of traffic across the would be needed town’s road network. 12

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A number of roads including Edinburgh Way, The traffic modelling carried out indicates that the increased capacity provided First Avenue and the A414 were all as a result of the new M11 Junction 7A and widened Gilden Way will enable the mentioned consistently by respondents who increasing traffic levels in Harlow to flow more easily through the local road felt that these roads would be adversely network. impacted or would need upgrading to cope with the increased in traffic. Dualling of the As the town grows, depending on the location of planned development, it may A414 was put forward as an alternative be necessary to carry out further improvements on the A414. ECC will continue solution or an additional improvement by to monitor and respond proactively to the growth of traffic in and around some consultees. Harlow.

There was a common view that congestion An objective for the M11 Junction 7A project is to improve access to Harlow, to and traffic would be increased, and accommodate committed and planned growth and enable the regeneration of accessibility and journey times decreased as the town centre. The scheme has not been designed to make the A414 more a result, there was also doubt that the attractive for through traffic. scheme would facilitate growth in homes and jobs and regeneration of Harlow Action taken : Consultees have, understandably, focused on the growth of traffic on Gilden Way. While we are clear that this will increase, the scheme will support the whole of Harlow and the surrounding area and the emerging Local Plans of Harlow and neighbouring districts. At this stage we have not received information or evidence that would lead us to question the results of the traffic modeling, which shows that the scheme will be a positive addition to Harlow’s road network

Impact of new developments ECC and HCC have been fully engaged with all the district councils in the area, and the impacts of the emerging Local Plans have been considered and as far It was felt by some respondents that the as possible built into the technical assessment. A key concern is the impact of impacts of new housing and business traffic generated from local developments; we are confident that all of these developments either hadn’t been have been included in the traffic modelling and this has influenced the design appropriately taken into account, or would and ensured that it adequately reflects both the committed and planned levels increase traffic problems and that the of growth within and around Harlow up to 2033. proposed scheme did not solve these problems. 13

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Action taken: We are committed to continue our engagement with local authorities and their Local Plan processes. However, should anything substantially change in the proposals for Local Plans the project team will consider the impact of these on the wider Harlow network.

Safety on Gilden Way and othe r local The design of the scheme provides for a shared cycleway and footway along roads Gilden Way from The Campions to First Avenue, where these link into the existing wider Harlow cycle and footway network. The scheme upgrades an There was a notable concern about the existing crossing point and provides three additional signal controlled crossing safety for pedestrians and cyclists, points for cyclists and pedestrians, to provide safe routes for local residents to particularly for school children crossing local services and schools. roads. It was felt that this issue stemmed mainly from the increase in traffic generated The Gilden Way element of the scheme includes a reduction of the speed limit by the scheme. However, there were also from 60 to 40 MPH along its length, which will reduce current traffic speeds and questions about the extent of measures help to improve safety. The design of the scheme will be subject to Road Safety included in the proposed scheme to enhance Audits throughout the design process as well as after the scheme is in place. cycling provision and pedestrian crossings. Action taken: Following the 2013 and 2015 information events the scheme has been changed to increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists. For example the access only road to The Campions has been made a shared surface.

Once in place the scheme will be monitored to assess its effectiveness and, should further intervention be needed, action will be taken to address any concerns.

Environment The design of the scheme has been carefully developed to maximise the opportunity to use the rolling terrain and existing woodland to reduce the visual There was a clear concern about the impact impact on the openness of the Green Belt. The planning application process of the scheme on a number of environmental will need to balance the justification for the scheme and the benefits it is issues. These included, but are not limited to: designed to deliver with the impact of the scheme on the character and function a) Building on the Green Belt (although it of the Green Belt. This will be a significant consideration for ECC, the Local should be noted that several respondents Planning Authority for the J7A scheme. This is also a key consideration for the noted that this would also be a key issue for Districts’ Local Plan processes. 14

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any bypass); b) Decrease in air quality and increase in While it is accepted that there will be a change in air quality, this is not a pollution due to the increase in traffic volume; negative impact for all: c) Increase in noise. • For some residents there will be an improvement in air quality as traffic congestion is eased on parts of the road network or where the new road is further from their properties, • For other residents there will be an increase in potential pollution levels. However, any likely increase in airborne pollution will be well below the World Health Organisation’s limit.

While traffic levels are due to increase, the improved flow of traffic, reduced speed and further development of cleaner vehicles will all minimise any increase in pollution.

There is potential for an increase in noise for some residents along Gilden Way in particular, and measures to reduce noise impact will be investigated These measures may include acoustic fencing, use of landscape earth bunds and low noise road surfacing. Reducing vehicle speeds will also reduce the level of noise generated by vehicles using the route.

Action taken : We are currently undertaking the next stage of design (following consultation) which will confirm mitigation measures, as part of the completion of the Environmental Statement. This will be submitted with the planning submission later this year.

Greater focus on public transport and The scheme proposed at consultation already includes a number of measures non-motorised modes for non-motorised users. While we support greater use of sustainable transport we also have to be prepared for the future growth in motorised traffic. The Further investment into public transport and measures included in the scheme are: cycling schemes should be considered to • The proposed route along Gilden Way will accommodate a dedicated reduce the need for new roads, or encourage cycle path and footpath along its length, more car users onto alternative and more • Signal controlled crossing points to improve the convenience and safety sustainable modes of transport. for non-motorised road users. 15

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• The route also accommodates and improves existing bus stops by providing new pull ins for buses, improved shelters and real time timetable information. A right-turn for buses and taxis at Mulberry Green will prioritise public transport access into and out of Old Harlow.

As part of the Local Plan process significant interventions are planned to provide further improvements to the already extensive sustainable transport network in Harlow.

Public bodies need to work As previously stated we have been fully engaged with Local Authorities during collaboratively . the development of this scheme. We recognise that much of this work is not visible to the public as it is built-in to the councils day to day operations. There were calls for Essex County Council to work collaboratively with neighbouring Action taken: We would like to reassure the public that we are working closely county, district and town Councils, and with with the district councils of Epping Forest, Harlow, Uttlesford and East Herts to Highways England to deliver a coordinated deliver their Local Plans and this proposal in particular is key to accommodate and strategic approach to road investment the planned growth identified in these. In addition, as part of the Local Plan and solutions in Harlow. process, and as part of the day to day work, we have been engaging with the highway authorities of both Hertfordshire County Council and Highways England.

M11 JUNCTION 7A - MAY -JULY 2016 FORMAL PUBLIC CONSULTATION : ECC RESPONSE OCTOBER 2016 6. Conclusion:

We are pleased that the previous public engagement events and the recent formal consultation has allowed the project team to respond to issues continuously throughout the development of this scheme, rather than at a single milestone point. The consultation events were well-attended and the results of this consultation demonstrate that consultees believe that ‘something needs to be done’ to improve Harlow’s road network. While no evidence was provided to make us reconsider the strategic assessments that show Junction 7A is the optimal scheme, we are pleased that early engagement gave us an opportunity to build in additional objectives to address the potential need for a future Northern bypass.

The actions we are taking as a result of consultation feedback are providing us with the opportunity to continue to optimise the scheme and provide the best possible enhancement to Harlow’s road network to the benefit of all Harlow residents and surrounding communities.

Our next step is to seek Cabinet approval for the preferred route. We would then complete the detailed design and Environmental Statement before submitting the planning application later this financial year.