Hard-hit businesses react after Harper Lane is closed again

Business owners in Harper Lane, near Radlett, have not only been struggling with the impact of the pandemic, but also the long-term closure of access into their street.

Harper Lane fully reopened last week after work to revamp the junction of Harper Lane and Watling Street was finally completed.

But the reopening was short-lived after Hertfordshire County Council officers said the brand new junction raised "significant safety concerns".

As a result, access into Harper Lane from Watling Street has been closed again leaving businesses in Harper Lane at square one.

Closure in Harper Lane towards Radlett. The entrance to the Radlett Golf Centre is just behind

Anne Swanston runs the Radlett Golf Centre, which is just yards from the closure, and has described housing developer Bloor Homes’ project to introduce new traffic lights at the end of Harper Lane as a "fiasco".

She said: "We have suffered a significant loss in revenue due to the road closure. A lot of our customers simply stopped coming to the range because of the added distance to their journey.

"We also have been broken into three times during this time with the closure creating a very quiet, safe haven for thieves.

"At no time throughout all of this fiasco have we ever been contacted by the council or Bloor Homes regarding the closure."

The new junction in Watling Street where access in and out of Harper Lane (right) has been closed again

Mrs Swanston, who lost her husband to illness in December, has described the last year as "extremely challenging" but said she was "delighted" when Harper Lane finally reopened on February 23.

She added: "We also found out that we are going to be able to open again on March 29 and then bang, the road is closed again.

"This project run by Bloor Homes, in conjunction with the county council has been a total fiasco from start to finish. We as local residents have been totally ignored and our concerns have been totally disregarded."

Keith and Jo Robertson manage Wild Farm equestrian and livery yard in Harper Lane. Over the last 15 years, they have developed it from an abandoned stables, with Mr Robertson representing Great Britain internationally in dressage competitions.

They said: "The lack of access in Harper Lane has led to a significant loss of income for us. And because of the pandemic, businesses in Harper Lane have been hit doubly hard. We’ve repeatedly contacted Bloor Homes and the county council for updates and requests for support. This has been soul-destroying.

"We fear that the individual businesses in Harper Lane are being disregarded and ignored."

This paper understands several businesses in Harper Lane are frustrated by the closures with a number calling for some form of compensation.

Both Bloor Homes and Hertfordshire County Council have apologised to residents and businesses for the "disruption" caused by the long-term closure and subsequent new closure.

Harper Lane has been turned into single file traffic on this railway bridge. Pictured is the bridge last week just before it closed again

Harper Lane was initially closed in August to allow traffic lights to be installed where the road meets Watling Street, because the narrow bridge near the junction has been converted into single file traffic to accommodate a new walkway. It was part of Bloor Homes’ planning permission for 200 or so homes in Harper Lane.

The work was meant to be completed in December but overran by two months.

But when the junction fully reopened to traffic, it became apparent some large vehicles were struggling to make the rejigged right turn out of Harper Lane into Watling Street, without striking a railway, signage, or mounting the pavement.

Read more: Pictures confirm new closure of Harper Lane

Read more: Harper Lane shuts again due to safety concerns

Some vehicles have been struggling to make a turn into this gap, as shown by the damaged and leaning signage

Closure of Harper Lane pictured

Hertfordshire county councillor Phil Bibby, who leads on highways in the county, says the council is working with Bloor Homes on a "revised layout" of the junction.

Bloor Homes said on Friday the closure will not be lifted until "safety issues have been addressed".

Cllr Bibby said on Monday the council is working with the housing developer to make the "site safe in the first instance with a view to reopening it in part as soon as possible if it can be accommodated".

Watling Street remains open both ways.

Bloor Homes have been approached for further comment.