The Parish Council are committed to trying to reduce speeds throughout the village. The power to impose and implement traffic calming measures however rests with the Essex County Council Highways Authority. The Parish Council has no direct power to effect works. The Parish Council continues to press for action from Essex CC Highway Authority. Progress has however been disappointingly slow.  

Traffic Calming
On the 19th July 2007 members of the Parish Council met with Tony Ciaburro (Head of Highways) and Chris Stoneham of the Highways Department. The purpose of the meeting was to explain the geography of the village and the nature of the traffic problems that the village faces. At that meeting Mr Ciaburro made it clear that the main road B1383 was not suitable for physical traffic calming measures such as ramps or build outs but that other things might be done. This led to the Highways Department putting forward a set of draft proposals. These were put to members of the village at a well attended public meeting in the village hall in Autumn 2007. Some of the measures such as a new mini roundabout and a one way system for Mill lane were not popular. Other measures were judged to be a good idea and the Parish Council went back to Essex Highways with a revised scheme. At the Public Meeting members of the village were warned that even if a set of measures was agreed with the Highways department, its implementation was subject to funding being allocated. A delay of well over a year was likely.

Disappointingly, to date, the measures agreed with Essex Highways have not yet been implemented due to funding not having been allocated by the County Council. On the 15th February 2008 Essex Highways wrote informing us that some of the measures had been on the Locally Determined Budget reserve list and others which were more immediate might be done in 2008-2009 financial year. The matters which were listed as “more immediate” were:

1. Red Bar road markings, dragons teeth road markings and VAS sign to be erected at the north of the village.
2. Centre island (to be located on B1383 just to North of Roman Way).
3. Cobbled imprint surface Mill lane. COMPLETED
4. Red bar markings, ‘SLOW’ sign and dragon’s teeth markings at south of Village (i.e. to south of Church entry to village).
5. Cobbled imprint at junction of Mill Lane and B1383 by the Church. COMPLETED
6. Cobble imprinted surface – Strethall Road at entrance to village.

The matters which were put on the reserve list were Gate Features at the entrances to the village.

The Parish Council, with a view to trying to speed up the process and win funding for the proposed plans more quickly, applied for funding under the Essex CC “Community Initiatives Fund” in Summer 2008. On the 23rd October 2008 Essex CC Highways department wrote a letter acknowledging the Community Initiatives Fund application. This letter stated that the red bar markings and dragon’s teeth would be funded from the Essex CC 2008-09 budget and that the other items would be assessed for funding under the CIF scheme.
On the 18th February the PC was informed that it had been awarded a Community Initiatives Fund (Highways) Grant for the following:

1. Gate and village sign with renewed terminal speed limit signs £ 1600
2. Provide and install one VAS for southbound traffic £ 6050    VAS SIGN NOW IN POSITION
3. Cobbled imprint surface to Mill Lane £ 2500
4. Remove existing gateway sign and provide and install gateways - £ 3500
5. Cobbled imprint surface to Mill/Church junction - £ 3000
6. Gate and village sign - £ 1350
7. Reflector posts on outside of bend - £ 1100
8. Gate and village sign with imprint surface £ 3850

Making a grand total of £ 22,950

A full list of the projects have been sent to the Area Highways Manager for Uttlesford. It is unlikely that the work will be carried out this financial year (2009/10) but we have been told that it will be completed as soon as practically possible.
The Parish Council has set aside funds from precept in order to fund the purchase of an additional VAS (vehicle activated sign). The aim is to get a sign that is more sophisticated than the one that we have at present at the South of the village. The new sign will be situated at the south and the old sign will be moved to the North of the village near Stalleys Barn. The new sophisticated sign will record data that can be sent to the police. It is hoped that the money given under the Community Initiatives Fund Grant when added to the money set aside out of precept will enable the new sign to be obtained in the course of the next year.