Harper Lane reopens after new Watling Street junction completed

After nearly seven months of work, Harper Lane, near Radlett, has fully reopened to drivers after a new junction with traffic lights was installed.

Three sets of traffic lights have been put in Watling Street and Harper Lane after the narrow bridge in Harper Lane became single file to incorporate a new pavement.

In Watling Street, a left-turn only lane has been created into Harper Lane for drivers coming from Park Street, along with a second lane that leads straight on into Radlett.

Watling Street looking towards Radlett, with Harper Lane on the left

In the other direction, there continues to be a right-turn only lane into Harper Lane from Radlett, but these drivers must give way to oncoming traffic, with the lights currently green at the same in both directions.

Watling Street looking towards Park Street

Another set of traffic lights have been installed in Harper Lane just before the bridge with traffic held both ways in Watling Street when the Harper Lane lights are green.

New pedestrian facilities have also been constructed, which did not exist previously.

The view now for drivers in Harper Lane towards Watling Street

The new junction will now undergo a trial period to see what impact it has on traffic - although this trial was agreed before the pandemic and the roads are quieter than usual with the country still in lockdown.

The trial period was agreed by Hertfordshire County Council after more than one thousand people signed a petition after initial work to install the new junction saw traffic in Watling Street grind to a halt.

Three-way temporary traffic lights were ditched after a week in 2019 but the council pressed ahead with the scheme - when it finally returned in August 2020, it was decided to close Harper Lane to keep the traffic flowing in Watling Street under a temporary reduced speed limit.

The cycle lane was introduced on the bridge in Harper Lane as part of planning permission secured by developer Bloor Homes for its development of around 200 homes in Harper Lane, Harperbury Park.

Looking into the new single file bridge in Harper Lane from Watling Street

As part of the permission granted by St Albans District Council, the pavement along Harper Lane, between Harperbury Park and Watling Street, was dug up and relaid wider to incorporate pedestrians and cyclists.

The new junction was supposed to take 20 weeks to complete, but Bloor Homes announced in early December due to "unforeseen delays", it had been delayed by two months until February 28.

However, the junction was completed slightly ahead of the revised timetable, opening on Tuesday (February 23).