New road improvements from railway station to town centre in Harlow unveiled

News / Fri 20th Mar 2026 at 07:42am

THE first phase of work to develop new public transport, walking and cycling links in Harlow is now complete.

The Sustainable Transport Corridor runs from an upgraded junction at Burnt Mill, along the A1019 to the town centre.

But even in the first few days, many have criticised many aspects of the new layout including:

One lane outside the Fire Station on Fourth Avenue.
One lane from First Avenue to Sainsburys
Everything about the roundabout at the railway station.

It was perhaps for those reasons that there were enough representatives from Harlow Council at the photo call on Wednesday morning.

It features new bus lanes, safer and more pleasant walking and cycling, new public spaces, trees, signs, and lighting.

The new and improved route is the first of a group of sustainable transport corridors that will link the centre of Harlow to the rest of the town.

They will connect new and existing neighbourhoods to places such as the railway station and primary business areas.

The improvements are the first key part of the infrastructure that will support the Harlow-Gilston Garden Town.

This development will include 10,000 homes built across the Essex-Hertfordshire border. The completed works will allow residents to have better transport links before the new homes begin construction.

The North to Centre corridor is a scheme from Essex County Council with support from the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town partnership.

It is part of Homes England’s £182 million investment in Harlow through its Housing Infrastructure Grant.

This fund is in recognition of the need to provide infrastructure to support the provision of new homes in the garden community.

Councillor Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and cabinet member for communities, economic growth and prosperity, said: “To unlock Harlow’s future growth, major transport infrastructure needs to be in place upfront.

“Despite challenges in the economy, Essex County Council has once again delivered real value for residents.

“This has created new connections for the garden town, will lead to more reliable bus routes, and has provided more walking and cycling options – improving travel for both current and future residents.

“It makes it easier to get around Harlow, whether they are commuters on the way to work or families going on a day out.”

Pauline Schaffer Director of Infrastructure Funding at Homes England, said: “It’s great to see Homes England’s infrastructure grant funding being used by Hertfordshire County Council and Essex County Council to deliver the first section of the sustainable transport corridor linking Harlow Town Centre to the future Gilston Villages.

“Through the Housing Infrastructure Fund, Homes England is working with partners to support the delivery of vital infrastructure required to unlock the first 10,000 homes at Harlow and Gilston Garden Town.”

Councillor Paul Zukowskyj, Executive Member for Environment, Transport and Growth at Hertfordshire County Council said “This new corridor is an important step in improving sustainable transport connections between Harlow and the surrounding communities.

“By making it easier and safer for people to travel by bus, on foot or by bike, it will help connect residents with jobs, services and opportunities.

“Hertfordshire County Council is pleased to support this partnership work to deliver the infrastructure needed for growing communities.”

To find out more, visit https://www.essexhighways.org/harlow-sustainable-transport-corridor

19 Comments for New road improvements from railway station to town centre in Harlow unveiled:

Vanda Mason

2026-03-20 08:57:59

I am speechless!

Chas

2026-03-20 09:23:06

There was nothing sustainable about the traffic queues along Edingburgh Way yesterday.

Sue Wood

2026-03-20 09:27:10

Not sure why the decision to reduce traffic down to one lane by the fire station But it will make it easier for fire engines/ambulances coming out into heavy traffic as will all be able to move over and let them pass as road was built for 2 lanes already

chris B-M

2026-03-20 09:37:39

Are all those congratulating themselves on this project actually talking about the same project we are all experiencing? I bet the majority of those who visited for the photo all travelled in a car each and none used public transport. I do wonder how soon a major accident will occured on either of the new traffic lights controlled roundabouts given different outlets have different control. If anything the whole area is at detriment to what it was before. Madness.

Claire W

2026-03-20 09:51:03

Interesting that nothing has yet been said about the proposed reduction of the A414 to one lane to/from Eastwick to Great Amwell during the many years of building the Gilston Garden Town. It’s considered that the invisible buses running through the ‘sustainable corridor’ are the answer to any traffic woes. In reality it’s because driving anywhere will be pointless as nobody will be able to get in or out of Harlow unless you want to live in a continual traffic jam. Essex County Council working together with Hertfordshire to screw up the lives of those living or working in Harlow. Makes you appreciative of the increased council tax spend going to ECC each year when you know that’ll it’s being well spent on making things better - oh, they are through Harlow Council picking up the slack caused by the lack of ECC investment in the town (e.g underpasses and cleaning street signage). Think Your Harlow should do some investigative journalism into ECC finances and its bias against the locality - what are our ECC councillors doing to promote Harlow’s interests above their own I wonder??

Tez

2026-03-20 10:09:54

This has been a total waste of time, traffic is now worst than it was before, after only two days open there have already been 2 crashes on the roundabout because people are confused where to go, and to have traffic lights on the exits from the roundabout, who's brainstorm of a idea was that, now all it does is back up the traffic around the roundabout. This has not improved traffic in anyway what so ever, someone has been paid a lot of money to design all this crap that just don't work and never will, traffic on Edinburgh way goes back beyond the cricket ground now at 5pm, worst than it was before they did all this, how is this a improvement ?

Tim smith

2026-03-20 10:27:42

Turn left on the roundabout and immediately be hit by traffic lights, how long before someone gets run over, complete madness, created by someone that properly lives miles out of Harlow, over 2 years of roadworks and this is all they can come up with, it only took 2 days for the first crash by the train station, i suspect sadly more will follow because this is a terrible design.

Resident for years

2026-03-20 10:50:51

Too many traffic lights on the roundabouts going to be lots of accidents, who's bright idea was that

Guy Flegman

2026-03-20 15:04:16

That was our taxes wasted on this! Wake up! We are being fleeced by a bureaucratic blob

Jake Shepherd

2026-03-20 15:25:53

I am genuinely curious, and above all else respect an individual's right to decide for themself how they travel around Harlow, but what are the barriers stopping you walking or cycling around town? I only ask, because many disabled or people with restricted mobility or elderly people, genuinely need to be able to drive around town and congestion does have an impact on their mobility. But for people who are fit and able, or perhaps need to become fitter (and maybe social prescription by GPs is an avenue we could look at), then active travel can only be a good thing. As for emergency vehicles, every car we clear is one less barrier for first responders responding to emergencies - notwithstanding the aforementioned people who need to drive in order to have any sense of mobility. Sadly for too many people I feel driving for short journeys is an ingrained habit - rather than a genuine need. Just my opinion, like I say, I respect an individual's right to decide for themself how they travel around Harlow - so surely we can all agree this at least increases choices for people, which is a good thing.

Stuart J

2026-03-20 16:54:01

The vast majority of those people pictured, probably don’t live anywhere near Harlow, or won’t be coming here again anytime soon, not unless there’s a photo opportunity!

Kim O'connor

2026-03-20 18:44:39

Jake Shepherd, nonsense. All theses traffic lights and walk through s on top of a roundabout, is an accident waiting to. It's dangerous.

Jac

2026-03-20 19:13:26

It's all a complete waste of money why would you put cyclists and pedestrians at a greater risk making them cross at roundabouts when not fifty yards away there are perfectly good underpasses already with cycle tracks and walkways to keep them away from traffic. So the idiots in essex county council obviously don't think these existing facilities are any use any more. I always thought that it made sense to keep pedestrians out of harms way not put them in it also earlier in the week I observed two teenagers on bikes just ride straight onto the new crossing and laughing when people had to slam their brakes on.

Rasp

2026-03-20 19:17:09

Whoever labelled this carnage as an improvement needs sectioning.

Mr. David morton

2026-03-21 08:18:03

During the rush hour the traffic outside the fire station is gridlocked having just one lane is seriously going to reduce the turn out time get fire engines up and running!

Sally Hunt

2026-03-21 08:40:14

Makes it easier for the bike thieves, straight down cycle path to rail station and out of the area

John Curry

2026-03-21 11:36:45

It works for me. I'm a pedestrian, cyclist and driver. I think that for walkers and riders it is a great improvement. The link into the town centre, when finished, will be the icing on the cake. John Curry

Geoff Longster

2026-03-21 22:13:08

I would like to see the specification for the surface of the relocated cycleway. It must include the word "Washboard". Makes for a real boneshaking ride.

Martin

2026-03-22 08:01:07

I see that it is thought necessary to have "temporary" signage at the Fourth Avenue / First Avenue roundabout to warn drivers that the traffic lights are only for controlled crossings and not to control access to the roundabout. I wonder whether future visiting drivers to Harlow will be confused once those temporary signs are removed or are the powers-at-be convinced that this will not happen as the town will not have many visiting drivers once everybody realises that Harlow means gridlock.