Essex County Council
Essex Highways

Harlow Sustainable Transport Corridors

The Sustainable Transport Corridors will link to Harlow town centre, providing high-quality public transport and active travel options to quickly connect new and existing neighbourhoods with key destinations such as the railway station and primary business areas.

The North to Centre Sustainable Transport Corridor is the first to be brought forward. You can find out more by reading our StoryMap.

Designed to seamlessly integrate with the proposed new communities, the transport corridors will help to develop a culture of health and wellbeing and support the Garden Town’s transport aim – With 50% of journeys from existing Harlow communities and 60% of those from the new Garden Communities to be made sustainably.

Part of the adopted and emerging Local Plans (The overarching planning strategy setting out where future development will be located) of the Garden Town partners, the new transport corridors are a key element of the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town Vision and Transport Strategy.

In recognition of the need for early investment in the supporting infrastructure, including the Sustainable Transport Corridors, it was announced in March 2020 that Homes England would provide £172m to support the Garden Town plans of funding through a newly created government ‘Housing Investment Grant’.

Providing long-lasting value to the community

During the Harlow North to Centre Sustainable Transport Corridor project, a range of social value initiatives are benefiting the community:

  • Staff from the project have spent 275 hours volunteering at 30 organisations, including Rainbow Services and Harlow Town Park.
  • 31 local students were supported through 46 weeks’ worth of project work experience. The students came from a range of local institutions including Harlow College, BMAT STEM Academy and Harlow Fields School & College.
  • 180 weeks of training courses and apprenticeships related to the project have taken place.
  • 612 students from local schools have been give the chance to find out more about the project and careers in construction.
  • 354 candidates have been supported by the project through employability support sessions. This includes candidates from Essex Cares Ltd, ACL Essex and Bright Futures.
  • The project has employed 39 Essex-based members of staff.
  • 20 Essex-based companies are in the project’s supply chain.

 

     Greenspace volunteering at Harlow Town Park by colleagues from across the Harlow STC Project

Introduction

Developed by Essex County Council with the support of the wider Harlow and Gilston Garden Town partnership, the transport corridor is funded as part of Homes England’s £172million investment into Harlow through their Housing Infrastructure Grant, a fund created in recognition of the need to provide infrastructure to support the provision of new homes.

The growth of the Garden Town is underpinned by investment to link new and existing communities through Sustainable Travel Corridors.

The North to Centre Sustainable Transport Corridor is the first to be brought forward.

Running from a redesigned junction at Burnt Mill along the A1019 to the town centre, the corridor provides upgraded rapid bus services. It also includes walking and cycling links, new public realm, trees, signage and lighting.

It will help to ensure the development links to the train station and town centre through high-quality quality walking, cycling and bus rapid transit services.

Changes made to junctions along the A1019 will significantly enhance their operation, boosting accessibility and the enjoyment, ease and attractiveness of public transport, cycling and walking networks.

A variety of signal crossings (for both pedestrians and cyclists) have been designed for use along the corridor to ensure safety for the mix of different forms of transport.

 

Construction on the transformational new Sustainable Transport Corridor started in March 2024 following the appointment of Boygues UK Ltd as lead contractor.

The project included work on the following:

  • Construction of a no-dig footpath along Zelenskyy Avenue.
  • Road widening on First Avenue and Post Office Road, with drainage being installed at the Burnt Mill roundabout, Elizabeth Way, Zelenskyy Avenue, Edinburgh Way and along First Avenue leading up to the Velizy Roundabout.
  • The central island on the Velizy Roundabout has been reduced, with the inner ring now surfaced.
  • Realignment of kerb lines at Crown Gate and South Gate, with associated drainage, bollards and tactile paving.
  • Reconfiguration of the Hammerskjold Road junction of the Sainsbury’s roundabout to support traffic flow.
  • A greatly improved pedestrian crossing, supporting public access between the town centre and Harlow College.
  • Installation of road signs and street lighting in Crown Gate and Post Office Road, with road surfacing in both areas.
  • A new footpath and cycle way along First Avenue from The Hides.
  • A no-dig footpath on the southbound side of Zelenskyy Avenue.
  • Carriageway surfacing throughout the A1019 corridor, and road markings installed.
  • New landscaping throughout the whole scheme, from Burnt Mill roundabout to Velizy Avenue, with an increase of planting to support environmental sustainability.
  • Road widening in Zelenskyy Avenue, supporting the creation of a new southbound bus lane connecting Harow Town Train Station to Harlow Bus Station.
  • New traffic signals, including pedestrian crossings, in multiple locations.
  • The installation of road signs and street lighting throughout the scheme.
The new pedestrian and cycle link into The Hides. This will open once the rest of the works at Velizy Roundabout are completed. 
Works progressing with improvements to 'Sainsbury's roundabout'.
Zelenskyy Avenue east side - segregated footway/cycleway with permeable surfacing open to the public - landscaping works and permanent lighting still to be completed. 

 

New signalised crossing for use by pedestrians and cyclists in operation on Velizy Avenue providing a link between Harlow College and the Town Centre.
Installation of new parallel crossing and shared footway/cycleway at Hammarskjold Road.
Main works to central island of Burnt Mill Roundabout complete and awaiting signage and landscaping.

Contact the team

To contact the project team please email us at Harlow.NorthtoCentreSTC@essexhighways.org

To see more information about how the proposal was developed see the storymap below.

View larger story map