Safer, Greener, Healthier Brentwood

In July a key section of Brentwood High Street was closed to most traffic to enable safer social distancing for people in the town centre. At the same time, County and Brentwood Borough Councillors set up a monitoring group to ensure that the voices and experiences of businesses, residents and shoppers were heard and understood. The group has heard from a wide range of people during the closure period and has agreed to end the closure with effect from Friday 7th August.

Further investigation is being undertaken into longer term measures to help accessibility in and around the town centre, particularly for cycling and walking, and a proposal has been submitted for Department for Transport Emergency Active Travel funding.

Ideas include a cycle route between Brentwood and Shenfield High Streets, a Low Traffic Neighbourhood, the adoption of School Streets, and the introduction of 20 mph speed limits. The potential closure of Brentwood High Street on Sundays is also being looked at.

Phase 2

The scheme involves a series of improvements along the A1023 Shenfield Road and Brentwood High Street. The route crosses the busy Wilsons Corner double mini-roundabout and along Shenfield Road with permanent segregated cycling provision provided on both sides of the road. The route provides a direct connection between the urban centres of Shenfield and Brentwood, completing a much-needed link in the cycle corridor. 

The proposed route includes:

• Permanent segregated cycling route on both sides of the Shenfield Road and at the junction with Crescent Drive, a new crossing for both walking and cycling will be introduced.
• Connection to an existing off-road cycle route along Chelmsford Road past Shenfield High School.
• At the eastern end of the corridor towards Shenfield station, walking and cycling is facilitated with a Low Traffic Neighbourhood, a designated residential area benefitting from 20mph zones and complimentary measures such as enhanced signs, extended footways and other traffic calming measures.
• It is proposed that there will be designated ‘School Street’ zones, making them pedestrian and cycle only at the start and finish of each school day, either side of the route.
• A possible one-way system along part of Sawyers Hall Lane to provide greater space for school children to travel to and from school sustainably, whilst at the same time facilitating social distancing. Sawyers Hall Lane to the north, and Middleton Hall Lane to the south, both house clusters of schools and could be designated as School Street zones. 

Map

Brentwood PDF (450 KB)