A1(M) Junction 6 to Junction 8 Smart Motorway

[thatapanydude]

Having glanced the document - it seems like only 2 cameras will be actually live with 3 non-live ones, not as many as I feared which is a surprise.

If ALR is the way to be then (not my preference!) hopefully they can push on with ALR'ing Hatfield to South Mimms and maybe to Borehamwood taking the premise that D3 ALR is better than D3.

As a side note, I would guess this might extend the queues at Biggleswade South and Stirling Corner a bit more!

[Chris5156]

If ALR is the way to be then (not my preference!) hopefully they can push on with ALR'ing Hatfield to South Mimms and maybe to Borehamwood taking the premise that D3 ALR is better than D3.

How would you change South Mimms to Borehamwood? The road is already D3 with narrow lanes and no hard shoulder.

[c2R]

If ALR is the way to be then (not my preference!) hopefully they can push on with ALR'ing Hatfield to South Mimms and maybe to Borehamwood taking the premise that D3 ALR is better than D3.

How would you change South Mimms to Borehamwood? The road is already D3 with narrow lanes and no hard shoulder.

There's a couple of nasty LILOs and property accesses I'd close, as well as bringing the lane widths up to standard as far as the speed limit drop at Borehamwood coinciding with the lane narrowing and SPECS, with improvements to the sliproads at the junction itself.

Also improve NMU parallel facility south of here, possibly as part of a narrow service road to serve property accesses: https://www.google.com/maps/@51.6693383 ... 384!8i8192

[KeithW]

Having glanced the document - it seems like only 2 cameras will be actually live with 3 non-live ones, not as many as I feared which is a surprise.

If ALR is the way to be then (not my preference!) hopefully they can push on with ALR'ing Hatfield to South Mimms and maybe to Borehamwood taking the premise that D3 ALR is better than D3.

As a side note, I would guess this might extend the queues at Biggleswade South and Stirling Corner a bit more!

There is a problem on the A1(M) between J6 and J7 especially northbound where the Lane 1 slows down with HGV's climbing the hill and there is a lane drop. What is needed is in effect a crawler lane.

South of there the problems I came across were mainly at Apex Corner and Stirling Corner.

[ManomayLR]

As a local resident who frequents the section of A1 around Borehamwood VERY frequently, we do use one of the SB LILOs as it’s really helpful…

And no, it wouldn’t make a good managed motorway.

[M4Simon]

There is a problem on the A1(M) between J6 and J7 especially northbound where the Lane 1 slows down with HGV's climbing the hill and there is a lane drop. What is needed is in effect a crawler lane.

The issue northbound is that there is a lane drop from three to two lanes at the junction 6 off-slip, and then a merge on a relatively steep uphill section where the northbound on-slip joins. A few years back the lane drop happened in the middle of the junction (the off- and on-slips are much further apart than at most junctions), but the change to a lane drop at the exit has greatly improved things for me (I live two minutes away from J6).

A crawler lane would certainly help, but there is some logic in continuing it all the way to J7. Provision of an additional lane between 7 and 8 would remove some traffic from Stevenage so I think provision of three lanes all the way from 6 to 8 is the way to go.

South of there the problems I came across were mainly at Apex Corner and Stirling Corner.

I've been travelling through there off peak once a week in each direction for the last year or so. Stirling Coprner has rarely been an issue, but Apex Corner can get sticky heading north later in the afternoon. The bigger issue is Mill HIll Broadway roundabout further south on the A1, where right turning traffic waiting at the signals can block A1 through traffic.

Simon

[KeithW]

I've been travelling through there off peak once a week in each direction for the last year or so. Stirling Coprner has rarely been an issue, but Apex Corner can get sticky heading north later in the afternoon. The bigger issue is Mill HIll Broadway roundabout further south on the A1, where right turning traffic waiting at the signals can block A1 through traffic.

Simon

Well my commuting pattern were rather untypical as I was heading from Edgware to Cambridge in the morning and back in the afternoon. I frequently had delays southbound at Stirling Corner but Apex Corner was usually OK. From Apex Corner I headed along the A5109.

[thatapanydude]

My first post in a long time but ..............wanted to ask views on what next for the A1(M), hopefully they will start to full D3(M) widening (with intermittent HS where required) in the next 10 years.

I think even D3(M) from Stevenage Jct 7 to Welwyn Jct 6 would be enough short term. Southbound, you could remove the queue at least post the Jct 8 merge and northbound eliminate it completely.

[KeithW]

I think that J6 to J8 northbound should be 3 lane as its uphill at that point which results in a fair bit of congestion in lane 1 and since the government has ruled out any more smart motorways that is not an option. I suppose they could just put in a climber lane northbound. Its also heavily used by commuter and delivery traffic.

[ManomayLR]

My first post in a long time but ..............wanted to ask views on what next for the A1(M), hopefully they will start to full D3(M) widening (with intermittent HS where required) in the next 10 years.

I think even D3(M) from Stevenage Jct 7 to Welwyn Jct 6 would be enough short term. Southbound, you could remove the queue at least post the Jct 8 merge and northbound eliminate it completely.

Even after full widening, we should definitely implement controlled motorway technology (VSL, MS4 VMS, Red X, CCTV etc) even though there's a full hard shoulder.

[jackal]

My first post in a long time but ..............wanted to ask views on what next for the A1(M), hopefully they will start to full D3(M) widening (with intermittent HS where required) in the next 10 years.

I think even D3(M) from Stevenage Jct 7 to Welwyn Jct 6 would be enough short term. Southbound, you could remove the queue at least post the Jct 8 merge and northbound eliminate it completely.

As the press release says, the smart motorway cancellation is as much about saving money as anything. So there is no prospect of widening the A1(M), which would cost several times as much as smart motorway.

[Phil]

My first post in a long time but ..............wanted to ask views on what next for the A1(M), hopefully they will start to full D3(M) widening (with intermittent HS where required) in the next 10 years.

I think even D3(M) from Stevenage Jct 7 to Welwyn Jct 6 would be enough short term. Southbound, you could remove the queue at least post the Jct 8 merge and northbound eliminate it completely.

As the press release says, the smart motorway cancellation is as much about saving money as anything. So there is no prospect of widening the A1(M), which would cost several times as much as smart motorway.

Agreed - the abandonment of smart motorways ticks two boxes - both of which are particularly important for this Government given how unpopular it is.

(1) Makes it look like the Government is 'listening' to the concerns of the electorate
(2) Slashes the amount of money HM Treasury has to spend over the next couple of years thus being 'fiscally responsible'

As such there will be no 'replacements' for the dumped schemes announced, nor in the near future - with any proposals to upgrade these roads somehow having to wait till after the next general election at the earliest.

[Roadiecambs]

I must admit I have never been held up to the point of queueing on the J7 to J8 section, so I am surprised this was in the programme initially (though I am not a big peak time user of the A1(M)). The big issue here is the northbound queue at J6, which has only been ameliorated slightly by the advanced lane drop before the big hill. Realistically, I would say widening just J6 to J7 would eliminate a lot of the issue, at least for a few years, as I think a lot of traffic leaves at J7 to access Stevenage. Of course, it looks like nothing will happen now!

[KeithW]

Even after full widening, we should definitely implement controlled motorway technology (VSL, MS4 VMS, Red X, CCTV etc) even though there's a full hard shoulder.

I dont see National Highways doing this if there is no increase in capacity as a result or any real justification for it especially when north of Baldock the road looks like this.
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.0515315 ... 384!8i8192

At least they closed the old flat crossing and put in an over bridge for traffic from Dunton, that was nasty.

A higher priority on safety grounds is Sandy
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.135602, ... 384!8i8192

or Beeston
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.1218789 ... 384!8i8192

[MotorwayGuy]

Even with the proposed Black Cat replacement, it seems there are no plans or even future-proofing to realign the river crossing at Roxton. The Northbound carriageway is very hairy, I certainly don't envy anyone who has to emerge from here with a trailer,

[KeithW]

Even with the proposed Black Cat replacement, it seems there are no plans or even future-proofing to realign the river crossing at Roxton. The Northbound carriageway is very hairy, I certainly don't envy anyone who has to emerge from here with a trailer,

This is what the scheme documents say.

As a result of the Scheme direct access onto the A1 from School Lane, Chawston Lane, Nagshead Lane and The Lane will be prevented, and the existing public access to Kelpie Marina and the Great North Road will be closed. The Scheme will provide a new local road, linking The Lane, Nagshead Lane and Chawston Lane to Bedford Road via the new Roxton Road Bridge to provide alternative, safe access. The Scheme will also provide an alternative access to Kelpie Marina, and a new link road connection from the south end of Great North Road to the new Black Cat interchange.

https://highwaysengland.citizenspace.co ... %20map.pdf

Improving the A1 south of the Black Cat is NOT part of the scheme.

[trickstat]

I must admit I have never been held up to the point of queueing on the J7 to J8 section, so I am surprised this was in the programme initially (though I am not a big peak time user of the A1(M)). The big issue here is the northbound queue at J6, which has only been ameliorated slightly by the advanced lane drop before the big hill. Realistically, I would say widening just J6 to J7 would eliminate a lot of the issue, at least for a few years, as I think a lot of traffic leaves at J7 to access Stevenage. Of course, it looks like nothing will happen now!

It does tend to only be at peak times that you get actual queueing. It is unreliable enough that I tend to not use the motorway at all on the rare occasions when I have wanted to get to SE Stevenage during the morning peak. I have also used the A507 and A10 to get to the NE quadrant of the M25 at that time too. Heading northbound during the evening peak, I have sometimes turned off at J6 to head to Letchworth using via the B656 and a sneaky back route (when I lived in Stevenage I would sometimes go through Knebworth on the B197).