Hertfordshire wants to widen the Green Loop path on Lower High Street by taking road space. Drop-in on Thursday, comments close 29 September.

Hertfordshire County Council wants to take road space out of Lower High Street and give it to people walking, wheeling and cycling. Comments close on Tuesday 29 September, and there is a drop-in event in Watford tomorrow.

The plans cover the western side of Lower High Street between Local Board Road and Wellspring Way, the stretch that carries the Watford Green Loop past Watford High Street station. The county council says the existing shared-use path there “does not meet current design standards” and that “some sections have insufficient widths, so we plan to widen the shared-use path by reallocating road space”.

What is proposed

The county council’s project page lists the works as:

  • widening the shared-use walking and cycling path on the western side of Lower High Street
  • a continuous footway at the junction with Local Board Road, so the pavement runs across the side road rather than stopping at it
  • a new parallel crossing near the junction with Watford Field Road, for people walking and cycling
  • modifications to the existing toucan crossing over Lower High Street, part of National Cycle Network Route 6
  • removing guardrails to create more space
  • new landscape planting and seating, with the existing trees kept
  • additional cycle parking
  • resurfacing, new route signage, and upgraded street lighting near Watford Field Road

The scheme is a partnership between Hertfordshire County Council, Active Travel England and Watford Borough Council. Construction is planned for early 2027, subject to what the consultation brings back.

The drop-in is tomorrow

The county council is holding a drop-in event on Thursday 10 September, 3pm to 7pm, at The Wellspring Church Centre, 1 Wellspring Way, Watford, WD17 2AH. There is no booking; the council says to turn up at any time during those hours.

If you cannot get there, comments go to ATFConsultation@hertfordshire.gov.uk by Tuesday 29 September, or by post to Hertfordshire County Council, Active Travel Team, Farnham House (Ground Floor), Postal Point CHN204, Six Hills Way, Stevenage, SG1 2ST.

The county council says it “may make changes to the design to address any concerns that come forward” before developing the detailed design and going through the statutory processes the works need.

Why this stretch

The Watford Green Loop is a 6.5-mile continuous walking and cycling circuit around the town centre, linking Watford Junction, Cassiobury Park, the River Colne, Whippendell Wood and the Grand Union Canal. Lower High Street is where it meets Watford High Street station, and the county council’s stated aim is to strengthen the link between the Loop, the station and the town centre.

The same stretch reaches the retail parks, and the council’s case for the scheme is that it provides “an important connection to employment, leisure, educational facilities, and retail parks”.

This is not the only Green Loop work in the pipeline. Hertfordshire has already built a new toucan crossing on Thomas Sawyer Way, near the Dalton Way junction, replacing an unsignalised crossing that left people waiting on an island in the middle of the carriageway. A separate scheme for St Johns Road proposes a kerbed and segregated 2.2-metre cycle track between Queen’s Road and Clarendon Road, a shared-use route on to Albert Road North, and upgraded traffic signals at both junctions, aiming to be delivered by March 2027.

What it means for you

If you drive Lower High Street, road space goes. The county council is explicit that the path gets wider by “reallocating road space”. The published material does not say how many traffic lanes or parking bays are affected, which is the specific question worth putting to the officers at the drop-in.

If you walk or cycle it, the crossings change. The Watford Field Road crossing becomes a raised parallel crossing, the Local Board Road junction gets a continuous footway, and the toucan crossing over Lower High Street is modified.

The deadline is the thing to diarise. 29 September is a firm date for comments, and construction is not planned until early 2027, so this is the stage at which the design can still move.

Expect works on the road later. Lower High Street already sits on a busy corner of the network. Our Watford roadworks and travel page tracks closures across the borough, including the A411 Chalk Hill order that starts on 14 September.

Frequently asked questions

What is being proposed for Lower High Street in Watford?

Hertfordshire County Council wants to widen the shared-use walking and cycling path on the western side of Lower High Street between Local Board Road and Wellspring Way by reallocating road space. The scheme also includes a continuous footway at Local Board Road, a new parallel crossing near Watford Field Road, changes to the existing toucan crossing, planting, seating, resurfacing, signage and new street lighting.

When does the consultation close?

Comments must reach Hertfordshire County Council by Tuesday 29 September 2026, by email to ATFConsultation@hertfordshire.gov.uk or by post to its Active Travel Team in Stevenage.

When is the drop-in event?

Thursday 10 September 2026, 3pm to 7pm, at The Wellspring Church Centre, 1 Wellspring Way, Watford, WD17 2AH. No booking is needed.

When would the work happen?

Hertfordshire County Council aims to start construction in early 2027, after it has considered the feedback, developed the detailed design and completed the statutory processes the works require.

What is the Watford Green Loop?

A 6.5-mile continuous walking and cycling route encircling Watford town centre, linking Watford Junction with Cassiobury Park, the River Colne, Whippendell Wood and the Grand Union Canal, using parts of National Cycle Network Route 6 and the Ebury Way.

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