Harlow First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements

Summary

We are planning to make crossing improvements at three junctions along the First Avenue corridor in Harlow through our Harlow First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements scheme.

It is the first phase of a new east to west walking and cycling route.

The route, referred to as Harlow LCWIP (Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan) 4, aims to improve pedestrian and cycle connections linking the east of Harlow with Harlow town centre. Further improvements to the route will be dependent on future funding.

Together with the Harlow Sustainable Transport Corridor schemes and the recently completed Harlow LCWIP 9 scheme, the Harlow First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements scheme will help improve connections for both existing and new communities as part of the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town.

It will also provide safer and improved crossing points for people along the First Avenue corridor, including pupils and families walking and cycling to and from local schools.

The projects are all part of our ambition to create a safer, greener and healthier Essex by giving you more choice in how you travel, both for shorter journeys or as part of a longer trip.

The initial improvements are:

  • A new raised table crossing at the Park Lane Junction with First Avenue Mandela Avenue
  • A new toucan crossing on the northern arm of the Howard Way Roundabout near the junction with First Avenue
  • A new parallel crossing over Momples Road at the junction with First Avenue

A map showing the location of the proposed new crossing locations along First Avenue. Furthest West, labelled 1. is the Park Lane junction. Towards the centre of the map labelled 2. is the Howard Way Roundabout. Furthest east on the map, labelled 3. is the Momples Road Junction. Map showing locations of proposed new crossings

These elements were selected following feedback received during initial community engagement in 2023, which highlighted the difficulties people currently experience crossing roads along the route, particularly at the Howard Way and Momples Road junctions.

Having developed designs for the crossing improvements, we asked for your feedback on our Harlow First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements scheme as part of a public consultation, which ran from Monday 9 June to Sunday 6 July 2025.

Thank you to everyone who shared their views.

We are now finalising our designs before proceeding with the legal orders required for the scheme and the tender process to appoint a contractor to construct it.

Based on the current programme, construction of the scheme is expected to start in winter 2025/2026 and be completed in spring 2026.



What is planned?

We are planning to make crossing improvements at three junctions along the First Avenue corridor – the Park Lane junction, Howard Way Roundabout and the Momples Road junction.

The Harlow First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements scheme brings forward walking and cycling improvements which are proposed as part of the Harlow East to West Sustainable Transport Corridor, as well as part of the new Harlow LCWIP 4 walking and cycling route.

Park Lane junctionImage of current crossing on Park LaneCurrent crossing arrangement on Park Lane

The Park Lane junction with First Avenue Mandela Avenue is currently a mini roundabout junction with an uncontrolled segregated cycleway/footway crossing over Park Lane.

We are proposing to improve the junction by creating a new raised table to provide cyclists/pedestrians with priority when crossing to improve safety.

Raised tables are sections which bring the road up to the height of the footway, making it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to cross and helping to slow vehicles and make it clear to drivers not to expect priority over other users.

The existing footways will be widened on the approaches to the crossing and they will be extended to the crossing point, which will be set back approximately 7m from the junction. This will provide more space for drivers to navigate the crossing and mini roundabout, improving safety for everyone.

The scheme will also include resurfacing of the carriageway at the junction, lighting upgrades and new markings and signs.

The proposed new arrangement can be seen in the drawing below.


A technical drawing showing the proposed new crossing at the Park Lane JunctionPlanned crossing at the Park Lane

Howard Way Roundabout

Image of current crossing on Howard Way roundaboutCurrent crossing arrangement on Howard Way Roundabout

The Howard Way Roundabout is a four arm, two-lane roundabout connecting Howard Way and First Avenue.

During our community engagement in 2023, you told us that it is currently particularly difficult to cross at the roundabout.

As part of our scheme, we are providing a new toucan crossing across the northern arm of the roundabout. This will replace the existing uncontrolled crossing, which currently requires people to cross in two phases (with an island in the middle) and across two busy traffic lanes.

Toucan crossings are a type of shared signalised crossing which can be used by both people walking or cycling.

The new crossing will make it easier for people who are walking and cycling to cross the road in this location, with traffic signals stopping traffic before allowing them to safely cross.

The signals for the toucan crossing would be on-demand and are not expected to have a significant impact on traffic. Consideration will also be given to linking the new signals with the existing signals further along Howard Way to help minimise any impacts on traffic further.

The existing shared use paths on the either side of the roundabout/Howard Way will be extended further along Howard Way to the new crossing which will be approximately 20 metres from the junction.

The scheme will also include resurfacing of the carriageway on the northern arm of the roundabout, lighting upgrades and new markings and signs.

A design drawing for the new crossing can be seen below.

A technical drawing showing the proposed new crossing at the Park Lane JunctionPlanned crossing at the Howard Way junction

Momples Road JunctionImage of current crossing on Momples RoadCurrent crossing arrangement on Momples Road

The Momples Road junction with First Avenue is currently a T-junction, with an uncontrolled crossing across Momples Road.

This is another location where you told us it felt dangerous to cross during our earlier community engagement in 2023.

We are improving the crossing by introducing a new parallel crossing over Momples Road. A parallel crossing is a type of crossing that prioritises both pedestrians and cyclists. It is similar to a zebra crossing, but also includes a separately marked zone for people who are cycling.During the public consultation, people raised concerns about the crossing being too close to the junction with First Avenue. Therefore, we have revised our design and are now planning to set the crossing 7m back from the junction rather than the 5m previously proposed. This will provide additional space for vehicles to safely queue at the junction while also ensuring the crossing remains in a close enough position to the junction that people walking and cycling along First Avenue will not be discouraged from using it.

A short 20m section of the existing footway on either side of Momples Road will be widened to create a shared footway/cycleway. After that point, the footway will continue south as it does currently and people who are cycling will be directed onto the carriageway.

The scheme will also include resurfacing of the carriageway at the junction, lighting upgrades and new markings and signs.

Potential wider improvements to the Momples Road junction will be considered as part of the Harlow East to West Sustainable Transport Corridor project. These are outside the scope of our scheme, which is focused on improving pedestrian and cyclist crossings in key locations along the First Avenue corridor.

The planned new arrangement can be seen in the drawing below.

Planned crossing at the Momples Road junction



Background

Harlow LCWIP (Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan) 4 is one of nine planned LCWIP routes in Harlow.

Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) are network plans for walking and cycling which identify preferred routes for future development when funding is available.

The east to west route is around 4.5km and starts east of the Velizy Avenue Roundabout and finishes at Sheering Road, running along the First Avenue corridor. The route could potentially include various different types of walking and cycling paths, crossings and other features in the future.

The Harlow First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements (initial crossing improvements at key junctions along the First Avenue corridor) are being jointly funded by Active Travel England and Essex County Council.

We hope that we will be able to secure further funding to make additional improvements to the route in the future.

All nine proposed LCWIP routes can be seen in the map (below).

Map of all Harlow LCWIP routes


Public consultation

Having developed designs for an initial package of crossing improvements along First Avenue (Harlow First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements), we ran a public consultation to get your feedback.

The consultation was launched on Monday 9 June 2025 and ran for four weeks, closing on Sunday 6 July 2025.

Thank you to everyone who shared their views.

The feedback provided through the consultation demonstrated a good level of overall support for the proposed First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements. Our consultation report and promoter’s response can be found in the documents section of this page. They summarise the feedback we received through the consultation and outline our views on the key points which were raised.

Design changes and next steps

Having analysed, reviewed and considered all consultation feedback, we have now made some minor changes to our designs.

Notably, we are now setting the proposed new crossing on Momples Road further away from the junction (7m rather than 5m) to provide additional space for vehicles to safely queue at the junction without obstructing the crossing and to allow additional time for drivers to react to the crossing when turning onto Momples Road from First Avenue.

We also acknowledge concerns about introducing a second signalised crossing on Howard Way and will consider linking the two sets of signals during the implementation of the new crossing to minimise traffic disruption.

Other comments and suggestions about wider improvements to the First Avenue corridor which are outside the scope of this initial scheme will be considered in the development of future improvements to the wider Harlow LCWIP 4 route and the East to West Sustainable Transport Corridor project.

We are now in the process of finalising our designs before proceeding with the legal orders required for the scheme and the tender process to appoint a contractor to construct it.

Based on the current programme, construction of the scheme is expected to start in winter 2025/2026 and be completed in spring 2026.


Contact us

If you have any questions or comments about the Harlow First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements Scheme, Harlow LCWIP 4, please email us at: activetravel@essexhighways.org

Summary

We are planning to make crossing improvements at three junctions along the First Avenue corridor in Harlow through our Harlow First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements scheme.

It is the first phase of a new east to west walking and cycling route.

The route, referred to as Harlow LCWIP (Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan) 4, aims to improve pedestrian and cycle connections linking the east of Harlow with Harlow town centre. Further improvements to the route will be dependent on future funding.

Together with the Harlow Sustainable Transport Corridor schemes and the recently completed Harlow LCWIP 9 scheme, the Harlow First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements scheme will help improve connections for both existing and new communities as part of the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town.

It will also provide safer and improved crossing points for people along the First Avenue corridor, including pupils and families walking and cycling to and from local schools.

The projects are all part of our ambition to create a safer, greener and healthier Essex by giving you more choice in how you travel, both for shorter journeys or as part of a longer trip.

The initial improvements are:

  • A new raised table crossing at the Park Lane Junction with First Avenue Mandela Avenue
  • A new toucan crossing on the northern arm of the Howard Way Roundabout near the junction with First Avenue
  • A new parallel crossing over Momples Road at the junction with First Avenue

A map showing the location of the proposed new crossing locations along First Avenue. Furthest West, labelled 1. is the Park Lane junction. Towards the centre of the map labelled 2. is the Howard Way Roundabout. Furthest east on the map, labelled 3. is the Momples Road Junction. Map showing locations of proposed new crossings

These elements were selected following feedback received during initial community engagement in 2023, which highlighted the difficulties people currently experience crossing roads along the route, particularly at the Howard Way and Momples Road junctions.

Having developed designs for the crossing improvements, we asked for your feedback on our Harlow First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements scheme as part of a public consultation, which ran from Monday 9 June to Sunday 6 July 2025.

Thank you to everyone who shared their views.

We are now finalising our designs before proceeding with the legal orders required for the scheme and the tender process to appoint a contractor to construct it.

Based on the current programme, construction of the scheme is expected to start in winter 2025/2026 and be completed in spring 2026.



What is planned?

We are planning to make crossing improvements at three junctions along the First Avenue corridor – the Park Lane junction, Howard Way Roundabout and the Momples Road junction.

The Harlow First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements scheme brings forward walking and cycling improvements which are proposed as part of the Harlow East to West Sustainable Transport Corridor, as well as part of the new Harlow LCWIP 4 walking and cycling route.

Park Lane junctionImage of current crossing on Park LaneCurrent crossing arrangement on Park Lane

The Park Lane junction with First Avenue Mandela Avenue is currently a mini roundabout junction with an uncontrolled segregated cycleway/footway crossing over Park Lane.

We are proposing to improve the junction by creating a new raised table to provide cyclists/pedestrians with priority when crossing to improve safety.

Raised tables are sections which bring the road up to the height of the footway, making it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to cross and helping to slow vehicles and make it clear to drivers not to expect priority over other users.

The existing footways will be widened on the approaches to the crossing and they will be extended to the crossing point, which will be set back approximately 7m from the junction. This will provide more space for drivers to navigate the crossing and mini roundabout, improving safety for everyone.

The scheme will also include resurfacing of the carriageway at the junction, lighting upgrades and new markings and signs.

The proposed new arrangement can be seen in the drawing below.


A technical drawing showing the proposed new crossing at the Park Lane JunctionPlanned crossing at the Park Lane

Howard Way Roundabout

Image of current crossing on Howard Way roundaboutCurrent crossing arrangement on Howard Way Roundabout

The Howard Way Roundabout is a four arm, two-lane roundabout connecting Howard Way and First Avenue.

During our community engagement in 2023, you told us that it is currently particularly difficult to cross at the roundabout.

As part of our scheme, we are providing a new toucan crossing across the northern arm of the roundabout. This will replace the existing uncontrolled crossing, which currently requires people to cross in two phases (with an island in the middle) and across two busy traffic lanes.

Toucan crossings are a type of shared signalised crossing which can be used by both people walking or cycling.

The new crossing will make it easier for people who are walking and cycling to cross the road in this location, with traffic signals stopping traffic before allowing them to safely cross.

The signals for the toucan crossing would be on-demand and are not expected to have a significant impact on traffic. Consideration will also be given to linking the new signals with the existing signals further along Howard Way to help minimise any impacts on traffic further.

The existing shared use paths on the either side of the roundabout/Howard Way will be extended further along Howard Way to the new crossing which will be approximately 20 metres from the junction.

The scheme will also include resurfacing of the carriageway on the northern arm of the roundabout, lighting upgrades and new markings and signs.

A design drawing for the new crossing can be seen below.

A technical drawing showing the proposed new crossing at the Park Lane JunctionPlanned crossing at the Howard Way junction

Momples Road JunctionImage of current crossing on Momples RoadCurrent crossing arrangement on Momples Road

The Momples Road junction with First Avenue is currently a T-junction, with an uncontrolled crossing across Momples Road.

This is another location where you told us it felt dangerous to cross during our earlier community engagement in 2023.

We are improving the crossing by introducing a new parallel crossing over Momples Road. A parallel crossing is a type of crossing that prioritises both pedestrians and cyclists. It is similar to a zebra crossing, but also includes a separately marked zone for people who are cycling.During the public consultation, people raised concerns about the crossing being too close to the junction with First Avenue. Therefore, we have revised our design and are now planning to set the crossing 7m back from the junction rather than the 5m previously proposed. This will provide additional space for vehicles to safely queue at the junction while also ensuring the crossing remains in a close enough position to the junction that people walking and cycling along First Avenue will not be discouraged from using it.

A short 20m section of the existing footway on either side of Momples Road will be widened to create a shared footway/cycleway. After that point, the footway will continue south as it does currently and people who are cycling will be directed onto the carriageway.

The scheme will also include resurfacing of the carriageway at the junction, lighting upgrades and new markings and signs.

Potential wider improvements to the Momples Road junction will be considered as part of the Harlow East to West Sustainable Transport Corridor project. These are outside the scope of our scheme, which is focused on improving pedestrian and cyclist crossings in key locations along the First Avenue corridor.

The planned new arrangement can be seen in the drawing below.

Planned crossing at the Momples Road junction



Background

Harlow LCWIP (Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan) 4 is one of nine planned LCWIP routes in Harlow.

Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) are network plans for walking and cycling which identify preferred routes for future development when funding is available.

The east to west route is around 4.5km and starts east of the Velizy Avenue Roundabout and finishes at Sheering Road, running along the First Avenue corridor. The route could potentially include various different types of walking and cycling paths, crossings and other features in the future.

The Harlow First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements (initial crossing improvements at key junctions along the First Avenue corridor) are being jointly funded by Active Travel England and Essex County Council.

We hope that we will be able to secure further funding to make additional improvements to the route in the future.

All nine proposed LCWIP routes can be seen in the map (below).

Map of all Harlow LCWIP routes


Public consultation

Having developed designs for an initial package of crossing improvements along First Avenue (Harlow First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements), we ran a public consultation to get your feedback.

The consultation was launched on Monday 9 June 2025 and ran for four weeks, closing on Sunday 6 July 2025.

Thank you to everyone who shared their views.

The feedback provided through the consultation demonstrated a good level of overall support for the proposed First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements. Our consultation report and promoter’s response can be found in the documents section of this page. They summarise the feedback we received through the consultation and outline our views on the key points which were raised.

Design changes and next steps

Having analysed, reviewed and considered all consultation feedback, we have now made some minor changes to our designs.

Notably, we are now setting the proposed new crossing on Momples Road further away from the junction (7m rather than 5m) to provide additional space for vehicles to safely queue at the junction without obstructing the crossing and to allow additional time for drivers to react to the crossing when turning onto Momples Road from First Avenue.

We also acknowledge concerns about introducing a second signalised crossing on Howard Way and will consider linking the two sets of signals during the implementation of the new crossing to minimise traffic disruption.

Other comments and suggestions about wider improvements to the First Avenue corridor which are outside the scope of this initial scheme will be considered in the development of future improvements to the wider Harlow LCWIP 4 route and the East to West Sustainable Transport Corridor project.

We are now in the process of finalising our designs before proceeding with the legal orders required for the scheme and the tender process to appoint a contractor to construct it.

Based on the current programme, construction of the scheme is expected to start in winter 2025/2026 and be completed in spring 2026.


Contact us

If you have any questions or comments about the Harlow First Avenue Cycling and Walking Improvements Scheme, Harlow LCWIP 4, please email us at: activetravel@essexhighways.org

Page last updated: 01 Sep 2025, 02:15 PM