Harlow has a current transport infrastructure deficit – anyone who has driven through Harlow at peak hours will have been caught in the gridlock that frequently affects the town. The issue that we face is not only how to resolve the town’s current transport difficulties, but how to plan for a town 50% larger by 2021.
In many ways, Harlow appears to have ideal transport links. Located at junction 7 of the M11, a few miles north of the M25 and just 12 miles from Stansted Airport, these road links are complemented by rail links into Liverpool Street and Stratford. However, this masks some structural weaknesses:
- The location of Harlow’s industry on the northern and western sides of the town creates congestion, as the motorway link is to the east
- A town that has a resident population of 80,000 and a working population of 40,000 struggles to cope with only two major routes into and out of the town
- The bulk of the proposed new housing growth to the north and east of the town is located away from the only motorway access
- The major east-west route from mid-Essex through Hertfordshire to the A10 (the A414) runs directly through the town and through one of the main industrial areas, with through traffic contributing significantly to internal congestion
- Although only 12 miles from Stansted Airport, the town effectively looks away from the airport since the road access lies to the south of the town
Harlow will see significant growth to 2021 and beyond. The East of England Plan identifies Harlow as:
- A key centre for development and change, providing a “unique opportunity so close to London”
- Accommodating an additional 16,000 houses to 2021 (above the current total of 34,000 homes)
- Having potential for a further 10,000 homes to 2031 following a Greenbelt Review
- Providing an additional 12,000 jobs including a significant share of the additional employment to be generated by growth at Stansted Airport
It is difficult to see how this growth can be accommodated without significant improvements to the town’s, and sub-region’s, transport infrastructure. The impact of Harlow’s growth must also be combined with housing and employment growth across mid and west Essex as well as along the M11 corridor to fully identify the requirements for transportation improvements. The larger scale, and longer term, transport measures must be seen in a wider regional context and not just relating to Harlow because of the importance of east-west movements between Essex and Hertfordshire as well as along the M11.
The Secretary of State for Transport’s announcement on 3rd March 2008 in relation to long term road and rail capacity in the East of England provides some potential for moving this agenda forward. In her statement she said:
“Last year my predecessor announced publication of the Highways Agency's consultation on plans to widen the M11 between junctions 6 and junction 8, and to improve the junction access from the M11 and the A120 to Stansted Airport.
I consider that the form of capacity improvements to the M11 in the period before 2030 requires further assessment and as a result I have asked the Highways Agency to carry out further work to look into this. This work will take account of the forecast growth in the region and ensure that, in seeking to exploit the region's economic opportunities, we do so in a socially and environmentally sustainable way, considering a range of ways to provide the additional capacity that is needed.”
Harlow Renaissance will work through our partners, particularly the Harlow-Stansted Transportation Board, to help deliver a series of transport improvements for the Harlow area. This must include short term improvements to traffic movement around the town as well as planning for the necessary infrastructure to support the town’s future growth. Harlow Renaissance supports the calls for a northern bypass and additional motorway junction to the north east of Harlow as well as enhancements to the railway services operating from Harlow Town and Harlow Mill stations.
The remaining pages in this section of the website describe how Harlow Renaissance is contributing to the development of improved transport links.