Herts - A120 Little Hadham bypass

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roadphotos
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Re: Herts - A120 Little Hadham bypass

Post by roadphotos »

If I still lived in the area I'd have gone on the walk myself but I've recently moved to Cornwall so it would have been a long way to come. Great to see this road finally opening this month as a by-pass for Little Hadham has been talked about for a very long time
a6driver
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Re: Herts - A120 Little Hadham bypass

Post by a6driver »

Does anyone know if it's open today?
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c2R
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Re: Herts - A120 Little Hadham bypass

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a6driver wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 11:54 Does anyone know if it's open today?
It wasn't open at 8.20 this morning.
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c2R
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Re: Herts - A120 Little Hadham bypass

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It did open at some point yesterday.
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BOH
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Re: Herts - A120 Little Hadham bypass

Post by BOH »

The A120 looks very odd on the map now, this new bypass and the Bishops Stortford bypass are now two big loops connected by a very short stretch (about 450 metres!) of the old road in between. Makes one wonder why they couldn't have made the top of the new new bypass continue straight on to join the existing BS bypass further along, rather than curve back south to join such a piddly little stretch of old road. Nothing in the way, all open land :o
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Re: Herts - A120 Little Hadham bypass

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BOH wrote: Thu Dec 23, 2021 12:51 The A120 looks very odd on the map now, this new bypass and the Bishops Stortford bypass are now two big loops connected by a very short stretch (about 450 metres!) of the old road in between. Makes one wonder why they couldn't have made the top of the new new bypass continue straight on to join the existing BS bypass further along, rather than curve back south to join such a piddly little stretch of old road. Nothing in the way, all open land :o
It was one of the options that was considered and ruled out, on the basis that most peak hour traffic flows aren't strategic in nature and are really commuters heading into Stortford (either to stay there or for onward travel by train to London).
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Re: Herts - A120 Little Hadham bypass

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Not sure if this has been asked but what are the plans for Little Hadham now? Are the traffic signals to remain with the A120 removal? I know it’s very tight through the village at the bend but all through flows on the A120 are now using the bypass, I assume the side roads aren’t hugely busy? Looking on streetview the side roads could take priority with the old A120 giving ways or a double mini roundabout....

Looking at the narrowest part it looks like 2 cars could pass but it’s also a natural traffic calming measure, I just don’t think the traffic signals are now required especially if you change priorities which would improve visibility and would make the village centre nicer.
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Re: Herts - A120 Little Hadham bypass

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There has been a consultation, but I'm not sure what the plans are - the visibility around the corner is poor, as is the proximity of the carriageway to the houses. I'd personally retain the lights which would help discourage rat running and adjust the timings to give greater priority to the minor road (C15). I'd also widen the footpaths slightly and improve pedestrian crossings.
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Re: Herts - A120 Little Hadham bypass

Post by Patrick Harper »

BOH wrote: Thu Dec 23, 2021 12:51 The A120 looks very odd on the map now, this new bypass and the Bishops Stortford bypass are now two big loops connected by a very short stretch (about 450 metres!) of the old road in between. Makes one wonder why they couldn't have made the top of the new new bypass continue straight on to join the existing BS bypass further along, rather than curve back south to join such a piddly little stretch of old road. Nothing in the way, all open land :o
The route to Hadham Park Roundabout is slightly shorter and straighter than it would have been if it had met the Bishop's Stortford Bypass directly. My understanding is that HCC would have opted for the second option if there had been awareness of the bat colonies in Bloodhounds Wood during the design phase.
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Re: Herts - A120 Little Hadham bypass

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Re: Herts - A120 Little Hadham bypass

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Low lights needed to be included to be bat friendly, and those ones have a cyclepath to span, hence the long arms and the really weird look it gives them.
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Re: Herts - A120 Little Hadham bypass

Post by roadphotos »

My first pictures of the new A120 Little Hadham By-Pass
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The new A120 By-Pass
The new A120 By-Pass
The A120 Little Hadham By-Pass
The A120 Little Hadham By-Pass
MayzieY
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Re: Herts - A120 Little Hadham bypass

Post by MayzieY »

I drove along this on the 28th Dec, despite Waze wanting to route me via the old road. I've not ventured through Lt Hadham itself yet but, like others, I would expect the lights to stay in place and be re-timed (they had an extremely long green time for E:W movements) to discourage rat-running.

When out for a walk on NYD I noted that there is still a fair bit of traffic on the old road, reflecting its importance as an access to the villages along the Ash valley. Disappointingly, the PROW link towards Hadham Hall via new underpass has yet to be completed, was too much of a quagmire to attempt surreptitiously!

And I found out the answer to my question with regard to the extremely odd fencing at the roundabout - the top element of the fencing was installed before the bottom half. So now that it is complete, with a bottom 'netting' section, it makes more sense!
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220101 Lt Hadham LightsFence.jpg
220101 Lt Hadham Underpass_2.jpg
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Re: Herts - A120 Little Hadham bypass

Post by NICK 647063 »

MayzieY wrote: Tue Jan 04, 2022 11:06 I drove along this on the 28th Dec, despite Waze wanting to route me via the old road. I've not ventured through Lt Hadham itself yet but, like others, I would expect the lights to stay in place and be re-timed (they had an extremely long green time for E:W movements) to discourage rat-running.

When out for a walk on NYD I noted that there is still a fair bit of traffic on the old road, reflecting its importance as an access to the villages along the Ash valley. Disappointingly, the PROW link towards Hadham Hall via new underpass has yet to be completed, was too much of a quagmire to attempt surreptitiously!

And I found out the answer to my question with regard to the extremely odd fencing at the roundabout - the top element of the fencing was installed before the bottom half. So now that it is complete, with a bottom 'netting' section, it makes more sense!
I did find something online which said the lights were to stay and be retimed, also a new signalled controlled crossing to be added on the old A120 outside the school, personally considering the drop in traffic a zebra crossing would be a more suitable idea.

As for the amount of traffic on the old A120 many just follow the sat navs, which take some time to reroute traffic, regardless of signage these sat navs seem to overrule everything! I sometimes think it would be better to temporarily close part of the old road in a convenient place for a few weeks after opening to force traffic onto new bypasses until people and sat navs adjust.
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