(A602 Improvements (Watton-At- Stone to Tonwell) Classified Road) (Side Roads) Order 2019
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HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL (A602 IMPROVEMENTS (WATTON-AT- STONE TO TONWELL) CLASSIFIED ROAD) (SIDE ROADS) ORDER 2019 STATEMENT OF REASONS 1 HIGHWAYS ACT 1980 HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL (A602 IMPROVEMENTS (WATTON-AT- STONE TO TONWELL) CLASSIFIED ROAD) (SIDE ROADS) ORDER 2019 STATEMENT OF REASONS OF HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL Introduction Under the provisions of the Highway Act 1980 Hertfordshire County Council (“HCC”) is the highway authority for the administrative area of Hertfordshire. The purpose of this Statement of Reasons (“Statement”) is to describe the proposals to implement the A602 Scheme and to explain the reasons for making the HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL (A602 IMPROVEMNTS (WATTON-AT-STONE TO TONWELL) CLASSIFIED ROAD) (SIDE ROADS) ORDER 2019 (“the Order”). In preparing this Statement, HCC has endeavoured to provide sufficient information so that its reasons for making the Order can be properly understood. HCC, as part of its Local Transport Plan, identified the need to make improvements to the A602. The A602 forms part of the primary road network in Hertfordshire, providing an east-west route between the A10 in Ware and the A1(M) on the west side of Stevenage. The road is dual carriageway through the urban area of Stevenage, but the rest of its length to Ware is predominantly rural single carriageway of low standard for a primary route, with junction and alignment issues, poor visibility and sub-standard designs. Traffic often exceeds capacity, resulting in congestion and delays, particularly at peak times. The delivery strategy for the A602 split the improvement works into three sections; • Section A: Hertford Road Roundabout, Stevenage • Section B: Ware Road, Sacombe Pound Junction, Stoney Hills Junction, and A119 Roundabout • Section C: A10 Junction, Westmill Road and Anchor Lane Roundabout At its Cabinet on 22 September 2014, HCC authorised the Chief Executive and Director of Environment, in consultation with the Executive Member of Waste Management, to proceed with the statutory process, including the seeking of planning permission and Side Roads Orders, to enable the delivery of the A602 improvements (Stevenage to/from Ware) (“the A602 Improvements Scheme”). Planning permissions for Section A and C were granted in 2016, and works were substantially completed in July 2018. The Section B works which are the subject of this Order include improvements to the Ware Road, Sacombe Pound Junction, Stoney Hills Junction, and the A119 Roundabout (“the Section B Improvements Scheme”). 2 Planning permission for Section B was granted via two applications. Approval for the realignment of Ware Road and junction improvements to the Stoney Hills Junction and Sacombe Pound Junction was granted on 26 January 2018. Planning permission for the A119 Roundabout was granted on 22 February 2018. The required land for Section B falls within the interest of a single Estate, although there are several registered title numbers. After positive discussions with the Estate, HCC sought to secure the land by agreement. The majority of the land to be acquired is generally in agricultural use. Some small wooded areas and sections of hedge line would be affected by the A602 Improvements Scheme, and the discussions with the Estate representatives sought to minimise the impact on these sections. In January 2019, HCC reached agreed terms with the Estate for the land and rights needed to deliver the A602 Improvements Scheme. HCC has powers under the Highways Act 1980 to stop up, divert, improve, raise, lower or otherwise alter a highway that crosses or enters the route of the classified road. On 16 May 2019, authority to proceed with the making of a Side Roads Order in respect of highways affected by the A602 Improvements Scheme was given by the Executive Member for Highways and the Environment and the Director of Environment and Infrastructure. The purpose of this Statement is to describe the proposals for the Section B Improvements Scheme and to explain the reasons for making the Hertfordshire County Council (A602 Improvements (Watton-at-Stone to Tonwell) Classified Road) (Side Roads) Order 2019 (‘’the Side Roads Order’’). This is a non-statutory statement. This statement of reasons, as recommended under the Local Authority Circular 1/97 (Department of Transport), has also been prepared to explain the proposals in terms easily understood by the public. The purpose of the Side Roads Order is to stop up or otherwise alter highways that cross or enter the route of the classified road or are otherwise affected by the construction or improvement of the classified road and to re-provide private means of access. 3 1. Section (i) a brief description of the order land and its location, topographical features and present use 1.1. Site Description 1.1.1. The A602 is an important link in Hertfordshire’s primary road network. The road runs north westwards from the A10 junction at Ware to join the A1(M) at Stevenage and then through the centre of Stevenage towards Hitchin. 1.1.2. The western end of the Watton-at-Stone to/from Tonwell Section is situated around 1km south-east from the centre of Watton-at-Stone and runs eastwards on the A602 past the Woodhall Park Estate to the eastern end of the section situated 1km north-west of Tonwell. 1.1.3. The road is considered to be of low standard for a primary route and drivers experience visibility problems and high levels of congestion especially at peak times. 1.2. Site Context 1.2.1. The section of the road where the improvements will be made mainly runs through agricultural fields adjacent to the Woodhall Park Estate. 1.2.2. The area is semi-rural in nature with a number of villages/hamlets located along the route including Watton-at-Stone, Tonwell and Westmill. 1.2.3. To the west of the Section B Improvements Scheme is Watton-at-Stone, a small village consisting of residential and commercial land uses. To the north of the site land use consists primarily of agricultural fields and woodland, with sparsely dispersed residential units. 1.2.4. To the south of the site lies Woodhall Park, a Grade II* Registered Park and Garden and privately-owned estate consisting of residential and commercial property, Heath Mount School with playing fields, large open spaces used for amenity / recreation, wooded areas and the River Beane and the Dane End tributary. 1.2.5. The Dane End tributary is a main river that runs from the north-east under the A602 at the Sacombe Arches (a series of culverts under the road) and joins the River Beane within Woodhall Park Estate. 4 2. Section (ii) an explanation of the use of the particular enabling power 2.1. HCC is the highway authority for the administrative area of Hertfordshire. On 22 September 2014, the Cabinet of HCC authorised the Chief Executive and Director of Environment, in consultation with the Executive Member of Waste Management, to proceed with statutory process, including the seeking of planning permission and Side Roads Orders, to enable the delivery of the A602 improvements (Stevenage to/from Ware). 2.2. On 16 May 2019, authority to proceed with the making of a Side Roads Order in respect of highways affected by the A602 Improvements (Stevenage to/from Ware) was given. 2.3. HCC has powers under the Highways Act 1980 to stop up, divert, improve, raise, lower or otherwise alter a highway that crosses or enters the route of the classified road. 2.4. The powers to make the Side Roads Order, in relation to the Order Land, are under sections 14 and 125 of the Highways Act 1980. 3. Section (iii) an outline of the authority’s purpose in seeking to acquire the land 3.1. The Purpose of the Proposed Section B Improvements 3.1.1. HCC, as part of its Local Transport Plan, identified the need to make improvements to the A602. The A602 forms part of the primary road network in Hertfordshire, providing an east-west route between the A10 in Ware and the A1(M) on the west side of Stevenage 3.1.2. The road is dual carriageway through the urban area of Stevenage, but the rest of its length to Ware is predominantly rural single carriageway of low standard for a primary route, with junction and alignment issues, poor visibility and sub-standard designs. Traffic often exceeds capacity, resulting in congestion and delays, particularly at peak times. 3.1.3. The delivery strategy for the A602 Improvements Scheme was split into 3 sections. Planning permission for Section A, Hertford Road Roundabout, Stevenage, was granted on 27 September 2016, and works were substantially completed in July 2018. Planning permission for Section C, was granted on 17 November 2016, and the works substantially completed in July 2018. 3.1.4. Planning permission for the Section B Improvements Scheme, was granted via two applications. Approval for the realignment of Ware Road and junction improvements to the Stoney Hills Junction and Sacombe Pound Junction was granted on 26 January 2018. Approval for the A119 Roundabout was granted on 22 February 2018. 3.1.5. Overall journey times will be improved on the A602 route between Stevenage and Ware by the provision of dedicated right-turn facilities at several junctions; including the Section B junctions on the realigned Ware Road. Widening the access lanes to roundabouts will provide an increase in capacity at specific junctions; including the A119 Roundabout at Section 5 B. Traffic on the route often exceeds capacity, resulting in congestion and delays, particularly at peak times. Reducing the curvature of specific bends on the A602 Ware Road at Section B to meet current standards, will enhance forward visibility and geometry to improve journey reliability and resilience.