Traffic Control and Pedestrian Safety at Cadwell Bridge – an update
The Parish Council, County Cllr David Barnard and Hertfordshire Highways have been discussing and providing options in relation to Cadwell Bridge and the pedestrian / traffic solutions at the bridge. Prior to the recent reports, the previous schemes have included the introduction of appropriate warning signs for motorists to realise that they are likely to encounter pedestrians and horses with riders in the carriageway. Additionally, flashing warning signs activated by the pedestrian give enhanced real time information to motorists that there are pedestrians walking under the railway bridge. However, both the Parish Council and Highways recognise that these options did not and do not offer a completely safe passage for pedestrians, cyclists or horse-riders.
Set out here are the facts and timeline of discussions so far:
In 2020, then-Councillor Barber worked with Hertfordshire Highways and Cllr David Barnard to provide a safe footbridge over the river at Cadwell Bridge, as well as a potential solution to the issues/danger that pedestrians face when trying to cross Arlesey Road at either end of the bridge, including access from the village to the Lavender Farm. Two solutions were suggested for consideration only, since at the time the traffic flow and number of pedestrians were much lighter due to the lockdowns:
- A footway to be constructed on the southern side adjacent to the bridge wall, incorporating signals which will control alternating flow of traffic east-west and west-east
- Pedestrian-controlled lights, only to be in use when a pedestrian, or horse-rider, wishes to cross the road before the bridge and/or through the bridge. This would not require a new footway as traffic would be halted at both ends of the bridge when the push-button was operated
Any conclusions would be subject to a Traffic Signal Design and Road Safety Audit following a Speed and Volume Data Survey, which would need to be carried out once traffic flow and footfall through the bridge had returned to normal.
In November 2020, a meeting was held between Parish Councillors and Highways, to further discuss the initial report for Cadwell Bridge and the possible solutions.
In early 2021, a second and more detailed report of traffic calming in Ickleford was commissioned under the Highways Locality Budget by County Councillor David Barnard.
The brief for Highways was (as well as addressing other traffic issues in Ickleford, including replacement of the speed humps, pushed through by the Parish Council and completed in 2022) “to assess and provide options to improve pedestrian facilities around Arlesey railway bridge by Cadwell Farm situated to the north of Ickleford (Cadwell Bridge), where there are currently no pedestrian facilities under the railway, therefore creating conflict between vehicles and pedestrians wanting to walk under the bridge.”
The report was completed in October 2021 and shared with the Parish Council. In the report, Highways suggested 3 possible options for Cadwell Bridge:
- Do nothing, and rely on the warning signs that were and are in place
- Priority Working (Give Way signs) – judged to be inappropriate by the Parish Council, Cllr Barnard and Highways because of the inability to see through to the approach to the bridge on the other side due to the 90 degree angle of the bend in the road
- Signal Controlled Working – this would provide a physical form of traffic control which would allow the introduction of a footway throughout the southern length of the railway bridge, through the bridge to where the pedestrian will have to cross the carriageway to re-join the opposite footway by means of an informal crossing point.Highways considered that the inclusion of a pedestrian-controlled crossing would have a negative effect on vehicle movements and would provide additional congestion.
However, the Parish Councillors preferred the option of the original report, with pedestrian-controlled lights and no need for a footway. This would be less expensive and potentially easier and quicker to install than Highways’ preferred Option 3 above, and, in the Councillors’ view, would impact much less on traffic, which would only be stopped if a pedestrian or rider wanted to cross the road before/under the bridge.
Meanwhile, in June 2021, the Parish Clerk was invited to an online workshop held by the NHDC team responsible for a new Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, or LCWIP, along with other Clerks. The outline plan was shown, and each Clerk was asked to highlight areas within their parish that they knew to be dangerous or contentious for walkers and riders. Cadwell Bridge was highlighted by Ickleford’s Parish Clerk (as well as the road and footbridge opposite Bowman’s Mill, and the triangle at the junction of Turnpike Lane and Arlesey Road).
A second LCWIP workshop was held in November 2021, with the final draft open to public consultation in September 2022. Ickleford’s Parish Clerk put forward the Councillors’ preferred and detailed solution for Cadwell Bridge, and also suggested that the LCWIP team liaised with Highways, so that a holistic approach could be taken, and potentially costs could be shared between Herts Highways, Cllr Barnard’s Locality Budget and NHDC.
Also in June 2021, the new footbridge at Cadwell Bridge, a project for safe crossing of the river that Parish Councillor Barber had seen through, was installed (see photograph above).
In January 2023, after various communications initiated by Cllr David Barnard, Hertfordshire Highways provided an update regarding the proposed works at Cadwell Bridge, essentially saying that:
a) After various other departments at Hertfordshire County Council have assessed the reports, there is no funding available in the financial year 2023-24 for Option 3 – Signal Controlled Working – estimated to be around £126,000, meaning that the funds that Cllr Barnard is willing to contribute from his budgets cannot be applied to Cadwell Bridge. There was no mention of the preferred option requested by the Councillors in 2021 and the Parish Council will follow up with Highways regarding this.
b) Although the bridge is on the North Herts LCWIP route, it has been classed as a secondary route meaning it is not a priority; the Clerk will follow this up with NHDC.
In view of this latest update, Cllr Barnard has again stressed the importance to improve safety in this area for pedestrians, cyclists and riders, to Herts Highways, especially when the Lavender Farm is open and many visitors arrive by bus or on foot. He has also, throughout this time period, been requesting a survey on Bedford Road for detailed design/formal consultation/advertising for a speed table and pedestrian crossing north of Turnpike Lane, with a view to fund the crossing from his 2024/25 budget. The Clerk has again requested that the LCWIP team look at the bridge and liaise with Highways.
In summary, the matter of Cadwell Bridge has been highlighted by the Parish Council and Cllr Barnard to Hertfordshire County Council and to NHDC many times between early 2020 and early 2023. Delays have been caused partly by the pandemic, since true numbers of traffic and pedestrians using the bridge could not be assessed until 2022, and partly by budget constraints – however the discussions and assessments have been ongoing throughout the three years.
When the works at Cadwell Bridge are eventually budgeted for and a date set, it will be as a result of the hard work of our County Councillor, David Barnard; former Parish Councillor Mick Barber and current Chairman Ray Blake, both Highways liaisons; the Parish Clerk; and all of the Parish Councillors who have spent time at meetings discussing the options and deciding upon the best safety solution for Ickleford’s residents and visitors. We will continue to push for the works, and will be grateful to Highways and NHDC for their eventual implementation.
Judith Crosier
Ickleford Parish Clerk