NE Herts MP Oliver Heald attended a promised briefing with Herts Highways about the A505 survey and their proposals. County Councillors Fiona Hill and Steve Jarvis also came.
Every junction from Royston to Hitchin has been surveyed and different options examined. This included looking at roundabout options for Odsey and Slip End and other options such as No Right Turn from side roads and a remodelling of entry and exit lanes and where u-turns are allowed.
Works have already remodelled the lane outside McDonalds at Royston end and works to remodel the Litlington Junction are planned for next year. The preferred option for Odsey is a No Right Turn from the side road and a better u-turn facility further up towards Royston with slip lane. Funding is being sought.
There is continuing concern that despite new No Entry signage prompted by earlier campaigns by Oliver and councillors, there is still a problem with some motorists turning right into eastbound A505 traffic at Station Road, Odsey. The Herts Highways is undertaking urgent inquiries to try to ascertain from motorists why they made this dangerous mistake and to rectify it.
Oliver has always said that there are motorists who simply drive too fast on the A505 and Herts Highways have promised to undertake speed surveys to see if a lower speed limit could help in the part of the road from Slip End to Odsey. Oliver also pressed for a public information campaign to make drivers more speed aware.
Commenting Oliver said: “This was a constructive meeting and Herts Highways have obviously put in a huge amount of work looking in detail at each junction and how to improve safety. I have always seen Odsey as key for improvement and I am glad they have produced plans to remodel the junction with No Right Turn from the side road and to investigate why people turn into the wrong carriageway creating a huge danger. I have previously campaigned for a roundabout, but apparently experts think this could create its own dangers as the vast number of journeys are on the main A505 carriageway. I will continue to press for action at Odsey and a speed reduction.”