There are two right of ways that require crossing Rush Green Roundabout to use them:
a. A walking path that goes through Rush Green to Hertford Heath (purple line on drawing)
b. A 'restricted byway' (ie walking or cycling) that links Rush Green roundabout to Great Amwell (comes out by Van Hage) passing by Pinewood school and providing a more direct and safer route to Presdales (red moving to green line on drawing)
To get onto these paths you either have to take you life in your hand and cross Rush Green roundabout, or the A10 slip roads and/or the dual carriageway; none of which are remotely safe. Hertfordshire County Council have had providing a safe crossing of Rush Green roundabout on their Right of Way improvement plan suggestions since 2017. In response to a Freedom of Information Request they confirmed that their plans would be that the purple, dotted line shows improved pedestrian ways and this would include a safe crossing of Rush Green roundabout
Should a safe crossing of Rush Green roundabout be included in the Kingsmead Neighbourhood Plan?
Yes I believe it should because HCC may time constrain any plans they may have in the pipeline - the main issue for me is the red-line access and how to make access made safer for school children making their way to school.
Also crossing the A414 from Stanstead Road needs a plan as the pavements are too narrow and crossing is very unsafe with no cycle ways either
I totally agree with the previous comment that this issue should be included in the KNP. It's unacceptable that children are crossing at Rush Green without the means to do this safely.
In response to Ikevilt: Hertfordshire County Council have confirmed they would like to provide a safe crossing, provided the plan but have no budget and no actual dates to implement.
Including this in the KNP would (hopefully) move it up the listing as I agree that we need a safe way for children to cross as a minimum. But, once there is a safe way to cross this provides a ready made cycle and walking path to Presdales/Pinewood schools promoting sustainable travel to school with all the benefits (increased exercise for children, reducing traffic from the school run, etc)
The two routes are useful as access to the countryside but at present they are difficult and unpleasant to get to, so I certainly support making access to them easier. But encouraging people, including children, to use the byway as a cycle route could be problematic unless it connects safely and consistently with routes to other parts of the town. Isolated bits of cycleway which suddenly end, forcing users to join the general traffic, are dangerous and worse than useless.