Hertfordshire County Council has appointed Interserve Construction Limited to carry out the final phase of vital improvements to the A602, between Tonwell and Watton-at-Stone.

Improvements have already been made to other sections of the A602, including the Hertford Road junction in Stevenage and the Anchor Lane roundabout and A10 junction near Ware. This project is funded by a £20.99m Local Growth Fund investment from Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and an additional £5.16m from Hertfordshire County Council.

Adam Wood, Head of Infrastructure & Regeneration at Hertfordshire LEP, said: “Our £20.99m investment towards the improvement of the A602 is facilitating vital work needed to improve the safety and reliability of this persistently busy section of Hertfordshire’s highway network. The work taking place will help improve journey times for road users and the resilience of the route to increased traffic flows as Hertfordshire’s population increases and its economy grows.”

Environmental works have been carried out in recent weeks along parts of the route, including ecological works and the removal of vegetation in preparation for construction to begin in summer 2020.

The works will:

• Enlarge and improve the Watton-at-Stone roundabout where the A602 meets the A119
• Realign the A602 between Heath Mount School and Stony Hill junction to smooth out tight bends
• Redesign junctions to reduce delays from traffic turning right
• Plant new trees and hedges to improve wildlife habitats along the route 

The county council will be applying for further planning permission for a cycle path to run alongside a section of the road to connect popular cycle routes in the area, and has also secured the land required to build the new alignment.

Phil Bibby, Cabinet Member for Highways and Environment, said: “The A602 is a key route between the A1(M) and the A10, as well as an important road for local traffic, so the improvements we’re planning will make a real difference. The tight bends and traffic turning right both cause delays and fixing these problems will help traffic flow more freely and safely.

“With around 100,000 new homes expected in Hertfordshire by 2031, we’re expecting an increase in the number of vehicles on the roads, so it’s vital that we invest in key schemes to improve the road network and keep Hertfordshire moving as the population grows.”

Wayne Howell, Highways Director for Interserve, said: “We are delighted to have secured this highways contract and look forward to working closely with the Council and community to deliver this important infrastructure project."

For more information, please visit the Hertfordshire County Council website.