Should the Litlington junction be left turn only? You can have your say on proposals drawn up by Herts County Council for the Royston Road turning on the A505.

The Crow has been calling on the county council to Make the A505 Safer between Royston and Baldock since 2018. Some progress has been made in the form of more visible road markings and improved signage, but there is still a long way to go and and our call for action is stronger than ever.

HCC has been developing scheme proposals to improve road safety at the Litlington turn and is now urging road users to comment before work starts in the autumn.

Key components of the scheme are 'left turn only’ from Royston Road to the A505 dual carriageway towards Royston. This means that the right turn movement from Royston Road to the A505 towards Baldock would not be allowed.

This is proposed to be achieved through alterations to the junction layout - extension and widening of diverge lanes on both approaches to the junction, improvements to road markings and road studs on the junction and all approaches, and improvements to directional signs in the vicinity of the scheme.

What do we think of the plans? The Crow has campaigned for significant improvements and this is a reassuring step in changing the layout of the road to make it safer. It would mean drivers wouldn't be slowing down to use the right turn while others speed up after coming off the roundabout.

The A505 was closed for 10 days last month out as changes were made at the Slip End junction - the work consisted of white lines, additional signs and some removal of vegetation.

In 2018, a feasibility study was carried out on the road, and it was found that on average one car a day travels the wrong way down the A505 from the Odsey junction - we at the Crow hope that big changes for Odsey follow on from the Litlington plans. It must be a priority given the startling statistics and how often there are crashes and near misses.

To have your say on the Litlington turning plans go to https://surveys.hertfordshire.gov.uk/s/A505Litlington/.

To tell the Crow your thoughts on the plans, and to share your experiences of using the A505, email news@royston-crow.co.uk.