Junction 19 scheme axed

3:32pm Monday 26th November 2007

Comments (10)   Have your say »

The controversial traffic scheme at Junction 19 of the M25 is to be scrapped.

Watford MP Claire Ward announced today that the scheme - which angered motorists who claimed it made conjestion worse - will be axed.

The Watford Observer campaigned for the removal of the scheme and back in June handed a petition to then Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman signed by 485 readers.

Drivers had argued the changes have also had a negative impact on local roads, as drivers are using smaller roads to avoid the Juntion 19 changes.

MP Ward said she too had received hundreds of complaints about the major traffic jams being caused by the scheme which reduced sliproad traffic onto the motorway at the Hunton Bridge roundabout to one lane.

She said today that she had been told by Transport Minister, Tom Harris, that he had decided to drop the scheme.

In doing so he has gone against the advice of the Highways Agency which wanted the scheme to be made permanent in order to improve traffic flow on the motorway.

The Minister said that the scheme could be considered again in two years time when consultations take place about a further widening of the M25.

Miss Ward said it was hoped that the road cones restricting traffic flow would be removed either by Christmas or early in the New Year.

She said: "This is a victory for commonsense. It was obvious from a recent survey of more than 600 drivers and local residents that most people thought the scheme was 'completely stupid' resulting in major traffic jams across Watford. "The Highways Agency seemed to be riding rough-shod over the concerns raised by my constituents and there was no way that I was going to let that happen."

Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Watford Sal Brinton welcomed the move, but asked why it had taken so long to scrap the scheme.She said: "Whilst we are all delighted that the scheme will go - and we hope by Christmas, one has to wonder why its taken our MP so long to lobby the government on this and for the government to decide, some five months after a minister visits, that it must go."As a local Watford resident who uses this junction regularly it been almost a year of hell for many drivers."The end of this floored scheme could not come soon enough."Have your say on this story by filling out the form below.