Post Office Road Closure
As part of the Sustainble Transport Corridor works in Harlow, Post Office Road is closed for through traffic on the northern side of the Adams House junction from 2nd December 2024 until spring of 2025.
Further updates and key dates relating to this road closure will follow in due course.
A road closure is required to ensure both the safety of the public and work force. Please note that these works are weather dependent, and dates may change subject to weather conditions.
Please note that there is no access for vehicles, including emergency vehicles, due to open excavations across the carriageway, but there is clearly signed diversion routes during these works. Please see below for a map detailing the closure location and diversion routes.
A certain amount of inconvenience is inevitable with work of this type, and we greatly appreciate your patience whilst the works are being undertaken. These works will unavoidably create some noise, and we will endeavour to keep particularly noisy operations to within daylight hours. We apologise for any disturbance caused during this essential work and wish to assure you that we will undertake these works as efficiently and quickly as possible.
Diversion route via Velizy Avenue and Fourth Avenue for cars who would have used Post Office Road
Harlow Sustainable Transport Corridors
The Sustainable Travel Corridors will link into the town centre, providing high-quality public transport and active travel options that will connect new and existing neighbourhoods quickly with key destinations such as the railway station and primary business areas.
Designed to seamlessly integrate with the proposed new communities, the transport corridors will help to develop a culture of health and wellbeing and support the Garden Town’s transport aim – With 50% of journeys from existing Harlow communities and 60% of those from the new Garden Communities to be made sustainably.
Part of the adopted and emerging Local Plans (The overarching planning strategy setting out where future development will be located) of the Garden Town partners, the new transport corridors are a key element of the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town Vision and Transport Strategy.
In recognition of the need for early investment in the supporting infrastructure, including the Sustainable Transport Corridors, it was announced in March 2020 that Homes England would provide £172m to support the Garden Town plans of funding through a newly created government ‘Housing Investment Grant’.
Harlow North-to-Centre Sustainable Transport Corridor
Introduction
Developed by Essex County Council with the support of the wider Harlow and Gilston Garden Town partnership, the transport corridor is funded as part of Homes England’s £172million investment into Harlow through their Housing Infrastructure Grant, a fund created in recognition of the need to provide infrastructure to support the provision of new homes.
The growth of the Garden Town is underpinned by investment to link new and existing communities through Sustainable Travel Corridors.
The North to Centre Sustainable Transport Corridor is the first to be brought forward with a more in-depth design.
Running from a redesigned junction at Burnt Mill along the A1019 to the town centre, the corridor will provide upgraded rapid bus services. It also includes walking and cycling links, new public realm, trees, signage and lighting.
It will help to ensure the development links to the train station and town centre through high-quality quality walking, cycling and bus rapid transit services.
Changes made to junctions along the A1019 will significantly enhance their operation, boosting accessibility and the enjoyment, ease and attractiveness of public transport, cycling and walking networks.
A variety of signal crossings (for both pedestrians and cyclists) will be designed for use along the corridor to ensure safety for the mix of different forms of transport.
Current Stage
Construction on the transformational new Sustainable Transport Corridor started in March 2024 following the appointment of Boygues UK Ltd as lead contractor.
A lot of progress had been made across the project so far with highlights including:
- Construction of the no-dig footpath along Allende Avenue.
- Road widening on First Avenue and Post Office Road, with drainage being installed at the Burnt Mill roundabout, Elizabeth Way, Allende Avenue, Edinburgh Way and along First Avenue leading up to the Velizy roundabout.
- The central island on the Velizy roundabout has been reduced, with the inner ring now surfaced.
- Realignment of kerb lines at Crown Gate and South Gate, with associated drainage, bollards and tactile paving.
- Reconfiguration of the Hammerskjold Road junction of the Sainsbury’s roundabout to support traffic flow.
- And a new pedestrian crossing is close to being completed across Velizy Avenue, supporting public access between the town centre and Harlow College.
No-Dig footpath: Allende Avenue
Newly surfaced: Velizy Roundabout
Hammarskjold Road into Sainsbury’s Roundabout
What's next?
As the project moves forward in 2025 the team aim to make progress on the following:
- Installation of road signs and street lighting in Crown Gate and Post Office Road, with road surfacing in both areas.
- The new footpath and cycle way along First Avenue from The Hides will open to the public.
- The no-dig footpath on the southbound side of Allende Avenue will be ready for the public to use.
- Drainage along Allende Avenue up to the Sainsbury’s roundabout.
- Surfacing works throughout the A1019 corridor, with new traffic signals and road markings installed.
- New landscaping throughout the whole scheme, from Burnt Mill roundabout to Velizy Avenue, with an increase of planting to support environmental sustainability.
- Road widening in Allende Avenue, supporting the creation of a new southbound bus lane connecting Harow Town Train Station to Harlow Bus Station.
Illustration: segregated cycle and walking route,
Gladwin Way looking north
Illustration: segregated pedestrian and cycle
crossing, Velizy roundabout looking south
Illustration: Hub near Gladwin Way looking
south
For further information, updates relating to road closures, traffic management and diversions taking place during the project, please refer to the following:
In the news section at the top of this website – www.essexhighways.org/harlow-sustainable-transport-corridors
Scan the Hello Worx App QR Code below to download the Hello Worx app and receive project updates:
Contact the team
To contact the project team please email us at Harlow.NorthtoCentreSTC@essexhighways.org
To see more information about how the proposal was developed see the storymap below.