Hertford Urban Design Strategy (HUDS)
The improvement works have been part of the implementation of the Hertford Town Centre Urban Design Strategy. This strategy was created to make much needed improvements to the centre of Hertford and was adopted by East Herts Council during 2016, supported by Hertford Town Council and Hertfordshire County Council.
As part of these works, new gates were installed at either end of Maidenhead Street. During the development of the strategy residents raised a number of issues with Maidenhead Street, from illegal parking to the look of the street itself. The work carried out so far is starting to tackle these issues. The new gates will help to keep traffic and vehicles out of the street when they are not allowed to be there.
The Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) will be in effect from 9:30am and 5:30pm, Monday to Friday (inclusive), and during the same times on Sunday and all Bank Holidays, with the exception of Christmas day. During these times traffic will not be able to enter or exit the street. The gates will be left open on Saturday to facilitate the operation of the Street Trading Stalls.
The new TRO came into effect on 16h May 2019
FAQ's
What happened on Maidenhead Street?
We made a number of improvements to Maidenhead Street, these include:
- Reversal of the one way on Maidenhead Street with no right turn at the end of The Wash (to dissuade unauthorised access to Maidenhead St from The Wash).
- Creation of an easier crossing area with a raised crossing at the junction between Maidenhead St and The Wash to increase the pedestrian feel of the area and to promote connectivity between Hertford East Railway Station and Hertford Theatre.
- Removal of the 12 parking bays in Bull Plain and a 'no waiting at any time' at the junction with Bull Plain to reduce traffic created by cars looking for spaces to park and to protect the junction from inconsiderate parking. The three disabled parking bays will be retained.
- Prohibiting cars from entering Maidenhead Street between 09:30am and 5:30pm to create a dedicated area for pedestrians and shoppers.
- Resurfacing Maidenhead Street in line with the guidance in the Hertford Urban Design Strategy.
The aim is to improve the environment for shoppers and others who use the town, and to encourage investment into the street.
Why were these changes made?
Residents have told us about a number of issues with Maidenhead Street, from illegal parking and dangerous driving, to the look of the street. We have listened to these concerns and believe that this strategy will begin to tackle these issues. We will continue to work with residents and business in Hertford to ensure we get this right.
How much did it cost?
£1million funded jointly by East Herts Council, Hertford Town Council and the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
Is there any other work planned?
The works on Maidenhead St, Bull Plain and The Wash are part of the wider Hertford Urban Design Study and we hope that they will be the first in a number of ongoing improvements to Hertford town centre.
What changes occurred with the loading bays?
Loading bays were created at either end of Maidenhead Street. The bus stop was moved to be adjacent to the existing Northbound bus stop on The Wash. In turn, this required the removal of the existing taxi bays and some of the parking bays currently on The Wash at the bridge.
At what times will Maidenhead Street be pedestrian only?
Maidenhead Street will be pedestrian only between 09:30am and 5.30pm.
