Council must tackle ‘unacceptable’ congestion

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP

MONDAY 19^th JANUARY 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Alistair Strathern, MP for Hitchin, is urging Herts County Council to take action to address the unacceptable congestion throughout the town.

Several overlapping roadworks and utility projects, including several related to gas network upgrades by Cadent, have caused roads across Hitchin and nearby villages to come to a standstill over the last week. The long delays, and increased pressure on diversion routes is expected to continue potentially until the end of the month.

While responsibility for coordinating and overseeing roadworks lies with Hertfordshire County Council, Strathern has been highlighting the need for more effective management to reduce the impact on road users.

He has pushed HCC on:

• The need for more carefully planned diversion routes, including the possible use of temporary one‑way systems where appropriate.

• Assessment of the necessity of full road closures, including whether both lanes need to be shut for all current works.

• Closer coordination with utility providers, to determine whether certain works could be rescheduled or staggered to avoid overlapping disruption.

With further gas network upgrade works scheduled in the coming weeks, Strathern is asking for Hertfordshire County Council and Cadent Gas to meet urgently and explore ways to minimise future disruption.

Alistair Strathern MP said:

“There is nothing more frustrating than being stuck in traffic, except for exiting bad traffic to only enter another bottleneck. That is what we all have been facing in recent weeks.

“It simply isn’t acceptable. Residents of course understand that essential maintenance has to take place, but the level of congestion we’ve seen recently shows that better planning is urgently needed.

“People simply want reassurance that every possible step is being taken to limit disruption and keep the area moving.

"I'm urging Herts County Council to use all available powers to improve the situation, and push Cadent to ensure there is far better planning and mitigation to reduce the impact of current and upcoming works."