A1 and Bypass - is the roundabout really a bend in the road ?
Date: 8 Nov 2007 at 15:48
It is now fairly clear how the changes to our roundabout, and the Baldock bypass at junction 9 of the A1, are being used by the motoring public. Those travelling from the western sector of the M25 ( from the M3, M4 and M40) see the AI and our roundabout as a more attractive route, and possibly a quicker route, to the Cambridge area than staying on the M25 and travelling up the M11 !
There are times I approach junction 9 from the south and now sense that roughly equal numbers of vehicles are leaving the A1 for our roundabout as continue north on the A1. When the lights are green the speed at which many vehicles take the roundabout and head for the A505 is horrifying and very evident when accessing the roundabout from the north during the evening rush hour. The roundabout now functions like a bend in the road with those leaving the A505 and heading south on the A1 also looking to maintain 50/60mph.
It seems likely that the number of motorists identifying this "cut to Cambridge" will increase substantially in the months ahead as the M25 struggles to keep moving. What will this do for the A1 two lane carriageway around Welwyn ?
...and the residents of Baldock ? There seems to be little change in the volume of traffic in their Town Centre - not surprising if the vehicles on the bypass are substantially additional "new traffic" heading for the Cambridge area. For the residents of Letchworth and Baldock the " bend in the road" is a traffic management disaster which has completely failed to meet the objectives of the investment.