OVER six hundred Newhall and Church Langley residents have raised their objections to a proposals to close off a section of London Road to traffic.

The section in question is between the Co-Op in Newhall and the Fawbert and Barnard roundabout.

The application can be found on the Harlow Council planning portal. Search for HW/FUL/25/00333

The application looks to create what is called a Busgate.

A dedicated Facebook page called #DontCloseOLR has been set up.

This application may well go before the Harlow Council planning committee however, no date has been set as yet.

Here are just a selection of the objections:

Objection

– Traffic Impact: A bus gate will displace significant volumes of traffic onto surrounding residential roads, increasing congestion and accident risk.

– Highway Safety: Diversion of traffic will reduce emergency service response times and create unsafe conditions for pedestrians and cyclists.

– Accessibility: Reduced access for residents, carers, and deliveries will particularly affect elderly and disabled people.

– Economic Harm: Businesses will lose customers and face increased delivery costs due to restricted access.

– Environmental Impact: Diversion routes will increase vehicle mileage, emissions, and noise, worsening local air quality.

– Consultation: Many residents directly affected have not been notified, meaning consultation is inadequate and contrary to fair process.

For these reasons I ask Harlow Council to refuse the application.

Objection

I object to this bus gate as the main route in out and out of Church Langley is the A414 – and where there are any incidents affecting the M11 this road is severely compromised and London Road is our only route out and home.

Just to clarify some confusion / questions I have been receiving – London Road will be closed off in BOTH directions under these plans. You will not be able to drive from Newhall / Church Langley, down London Road to Old Harlow, or vice versa. Your only option is to go around the sports field / David Lloyd via the A414.

If you are leaving the car park of Mark Hall Sports centre you will have to turn left towards Old Harlow. If you are leaving Kennels Lane you will have to turn left towards Church Langley.

Hope that makes it clearer!!

Objection

Mark Hall Academy was rebuilt in 2020 at considerable expense, and has since provide considerable benefit to Harlow and the Villages – particularly in light of the developments at Church Langley, Newhall and Gilden Park. 

The school has increased its student population by 50% in the past 5 years, with the vast majority arriving at school on foot, bike or public transport. That said, the catchment area has also increased; necessitating some parents to drive to school – requiring access via London Road to the safest and most convenient point (Mark Hall Academy Sports Centre).

The school is a huge asset to the town, recognised in Parliament by both sides of the house for its work with all young people: particularly those with additional education, pastoral and caring needs (as demanded by central government) – access to the school via London Road is vital. 

Children’s welfare has to be the prime consideration in any planning application. Whilst the school and BMAT support carbon-neutrality, public transport and congestion-free highways, we note that the previously-agreed traffic-calming measures have not be installed, let alone assessed for effectiveness, and the pledged public transport connections (which would need to be free & very frequent for students) have not been commissioned. 

We feel that these considerations have not been properly addressed, alternatives to the significant congestion created from the new M11 junction explored, and with the poorly-planned past provision being adapted to tether the developer to an out-of-date vision for the ‘best use’ of London Road which fails the needs of the young people of Harlow. 

Students who do not live within walking distance or need to be taken to school due to special educational needs, disabilities etc and are driven to school will now need to drive the alternate route and we believe this will lead to increased congestion on the London Road Roundabout and the adjacent roads leading to Old Harlow and the M11

School staff will no doubt experience increased congestion when coming from any direction to Mark Hall Academy, the A414 and London Road roundabouts are already congested and slow at peak times which will have an affect on journey times and put pressure on already stretched staff. 

Staff and students trying to come into the main visitors car park will cause a longer queue back up to London Road roundabout. 

We believe this change will mean parents drop their children off on the main road at the front of the school causing even more congestion. This also poses an increased risk of injury to students from passing cars and bikes etc

This may result in increased usage of the subway which has to be covered by staff at key times to protect the wellbeing and safety of our students

We believe this change may result in parents choosing alternative schools that are safer for their children to travel to which will put considerable strain on other areas of Harlow.