Doddinghurst Road is a relatively minor road feeding into the A128 Trunk Road. There are numerous times/circumstances when it can become pretty much gridlocked:

• The dominant traffic flow at morning rush hour is towards Brentwood. Mini-roundabouts depend on ‘asymmetric’ traffic flow for each exit to get a chance; there is no asymmetry at rush hour so traffic is forced onto rat-runs.
• We all know about Brentwood Centre events. These cause extended periods in which queues start in the centre car park and lock us into our roads.
• The recent roadworks at Western Avenue/Ongar Road junction used 3-way traffic controls. These gave A128 traffic travelling towards Brentwood, away from Brentwood and those exiting Western Avenue an opportunity to move; Doddinghurst Road traffic only had an opportunity if Brentwood-bound A128 traffic either ran out or gave way.

Will it get any better with another 200 homes adding another 400-odd cars into the mix?

Junctions

So we have two sites (despite the plan’s language) and that means two new junctions on Doddinghurst Road. Given both tracts of land are elevated above the road it is most likley that these junctions will be as per:

“A” is the lowest point of ingress to the Pilgrims Hatch side and would be directly opposite the exit from the Essex Dog Training School. “B” is the lowest point on the Brentwood side; it is also where joy-riders are often hitting 60+ as they approach the underpass. Worryingly, although Hopefield didn’t get into the local plan, Tesco are known to still be pursuing it potentially with two high volume traffic sources being directly opposite one another.

What the Local Plan Says Should Happen

It will be expected to adequately mitigate its likely impacts on the performance of the local and strategic road network. Opportunities to create improved connections should be maximised to create a development where alternative forms of transport to the private car (walking, cycling and public transport) are prioritised. New and enhanced pedestrian and cycle connections will be expected to be provided within the site and to the wider area.

Brentwood Local Plan

It’s hard to see how providing for cycles, in particular, within the development will help if it doesn’t join up with similar outside it.

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