Yet again motorists in Elstree and Borehamwood are facing weeks of traffic chaos, and it could so easily have been avoided.

Road resurfacing work in Elstree High Street could be carried out at night, if the money were to be made available.

Instead Borehamwood's already-congested roads will grind to a halt for weeks at a time, as the traffic that would have gone along Elstree High Street will have to follow long diversions through the town.

This will have a knock-on effect on businesses, as employees will inevitably arrive late for work, deliveries will be delayed and shoppers who would have visited Borehamwood will stay away to avoid the queues.

The amount of money which the county will save by carrying out these works in the daytime will probably not cover the extra costs that residents and businesses will face, having to shunt their way through gridlocked roads for weeks.

Since roadworks now seem to be a constant nuisance in Elstree and Borehamwood, with new cones seemingly being put out as soon as the tarmac sets on completed works, perhaps it is time politicians demanded a little more thought be put into how they could be carried out without causing so much disruption.

April 9, 2003 16:00