Traffic woes continue as Southern Way road closure enters third day

News / Thu 10th Jul 2025 at 06:29am

ONE of the main roads in Harlow is set to remain closed for the third day in a row.

Southern Way has been shut from Tysea Road to the Staple Tye roundabout since Monday morning causing considerable traffic woes for commuters and residents alike.

Due to operational difficulties there is a bus missing from the Staple Tye Route and 2 Stansted Services. These journeys have been cancelled on the app, please refer to the app for missing journeys. pic.twitter.com/3yUnAbQEvQ
— Arriva Herts & Essex (@arrivaessex) July 10, 2025

Traffic has been diverted around Paringdon Road and Commonside Road, causing severe congestion.

The cause is a burst water main near to the fields next to Goldings Farm.

It is hoped that the road may open completely or partially today.

YH will get that confirmed by Thursday morning.

The timeline of problems is below.

Day 2: Southern Way remains shut due to burst water main

15 Comments for Traffic woes continue as Southern Way road closure enters third day:

jarrett

2025-07-10 06:58:00

Goldings Farm.

John

2025-07-10 07:56:09

I don't understand it looks like from the photo the problem is on the path so why have they closed the road off why can't they closed the path off don't understand it at all.

JingleBellBall

2025-07-10 08:14:14

GOLDINGS Farm! Does nobody proofread anything these days?

JingleBellBall

2025-07-10 08:18:07

John, when a water main bursts it tends to cover the surrounding area pretty sharpish! It won’t just be a trickle of water either. Closing the road was the right thing to do.

John

2025-07-10 08:22:53

JingleBellBall I understand that but if you at the photo it looks like the problem is along the path.

Adrienne

2025-07-10 09:05:18

Let's hope the process doesn't take too long

Colleen Morrison

2025-07-10 09:15:19

This road closure is causing traffic congestion and havoc in and around Bush Fair, including exacerbating existing intolerable congestion on Second Avenue from the clock tower roundabout to the town centre and at peak periods on the A414.

Mark

2025-07-10 10:06:02

Try Zooming in John, it's the road also.

Ted

2025-07-10 16:25:36

A 1mile round trip is taking me over an hour

Sylvester

2025-07-10 19:01:42

Ted -- I obviously don't know your personal circumstances however walking would be quicker and that goes for the "mummy taxi's" ferrying little Jonny and Tabitha the 1/2 mile to and from school that has contributed to the traffic chaos

Mummy

2025-07-10 21:25:05

Sylvester, you do realise most of those mums are dropping their children to school en route to their own jobs? We don't have the luxury of a leisurely stroll to school. Instead, we have to pay to put our children into breakfast clubs and then battle through traffic before we can even clock in and do the day job. I would LOVE to walk my children to school but logistically it is impossible.

Guy Flegman

2025-07-11 07:17:40

When I went to school I had to walk from the age of 5 as did all the children sometimes up to 2 miles. If you lived more than 2 miles away you could get the school bus. Most of the teachers walked aswell as they lived locally. Even my children walked to school in the 90’s. It’s good for you.

Mummy

2025-07-11 08:10:37

I also walked to and from school and, as I said, would love to do that with my own children but it is not possible. My children are both under 10 and for various safety reasons I would not let them walk to school on their own. I drive them because I then have to drive to get to work. I do not have the privilege of working in Harlow and I am forced to drive because public transport links are inadequate and unreliable.