North Street goes one-way southbound from Monday 9 November and shuts to cars every weekend from 13 November. Parking, bus, taxi and Blue Badge changes.
North Street in Bishop’s Stortford becomes one-way from Monday 9 November, and from Friday 13 November it will close to motor traffic every weekend. The trial runs for up to 18 months under an experimental traffic order.
Hertfordshire County Council is funding and running the scheme with Bishop’s Stortford BID and the town council. The details are in the county’s letter to residents and businesses, dated 9 October, and on its North Street project page.
What changes on weekdays
From Monday 9 November:
- North Street and Water Lane become one-way, southbound only
- there is no vehicle access into North Street from High Street or Market Street
- a temporary 20mph limit applies for the length of the trial
- people on bikes can still ride north, on a contraflow cycle route
Drivers can still enter North Street from Hadham Road and leave at the High Street and Bridge Street end. Water Lane, which leaves North Street at its northern end, also runs one-way towards Bridge Street.
What changes at weekends
From Friday 13 November, North Street becomes a pedestrian and cycle zone every weekend. It covers the stretch between Water Lane and the High Street and Bridge Street junction.
- The zone runs from 5.30pm on Friday until 7am on Monday.
- The town council closes the gates at each end. The gate after Water Lane shuts at 5.30pm, and the Bridge Street gate at 6pm.
- Cyclists can still use the street, but are expected to ride slowly around people on foot.
The county’s FAQs say anyone parked in the street at 5.29pm has a 30-minute maximum stay, so should leave before the Bridge Street gate closes at 6pm. East Herts enforcement officers will be around on Friday evenings at the start of the trial to explain the change.
The first event in the car-free street is the BID’s Festive Fun Day and lights switch-on on Sunday 15 November.
Parking, taxis and buses
No parking spaces are being removed at the start of the trial. But at weekends these cannot be reached by car:
- the on-street spaces inside the weekend zone
- the Sworders Yard car park
- the parking behind The George and Prezzo
The county points drivers to four car parks, each four or five minutes’ walk away:
| Car park | Note from the county |
|---|---|
| Basbow Lane | 30 minutes free |
| Apton Road | 30 minutes free |
| Northgate End | |
| Jackson Square | Locked at 1am |
There is a short stretch of parking on North Street outside the zone, and on-street parking in Water Lane. Waitrose customers can use its car park for up to an hour and a half, the FAQs say. Our parking guide has the charges.
Taxis: the North Street rank will not be available at weekends. Drivers can drop off at the north end of the street or in Water Lane.
Blue Badge holders: there is no Blue Badge bay on North Street now. The county says holders can park on double yellow lines, including the space outside News & Booze, and that it wants to add proper provision later.
Buses: the 35 and 511 will run via Link Road and The Causeway for the whole trial, weekdays included. They will not use the Bridge Street stop. Passengers should use the nearest stops on Link Road instead.
Barrett Lane: a short two-way section will give access to the private car parks from Water Lane. There will be no through route between North Street and those car parks at first.
The works
Gates, planters and signs go in from Monday 9 November. The work is expected to take up to five days, between 8am and 5pm, with traffic management in place. The county says temporary barriers and signs may be used at first.
Why the county is doing it
The county lists high traffic, too little space for people walking, noise, air quality and a quiet street in the evenings and on Sundays as the problems. The trial builds on concept work done for the town council in 2024.
The BID’s own announcement is blunter. It cites congestion, illegal parking and pollution, and says people crossing North Street are “taking their life into their hands”. It also says the change to Water Lane’s direction will be permanent. The county’s letter treats Water Lane as part of the trial. The order itself, once published, will settle which is right, and we will update this story.
The county’s own traffic modelling expects about one extra vehicle a minute on Link Road, and one extra a minute on Bells Hill. It will watch the Bridge Street junction on CCTV for drivers ignoring the No Entry signs. If that becomes a problem it may consider number plate cameras. The traffic lights there will be reprogrammed, because North Street becomes exit only.
No compensation is planned for businesses if trade drops, the FAQs say. All businesses stay open throughout.
What happens next
Parklets and outdoor seating could follow from spring 2027, the county says. Whether any of it stays will depend on monitoring, feedback and later decisions.
What it means for you
- Driving: from 9 November you can no longer turn into North Street from the High Street or Market Street. Plan to come in from Hadham Road, or park elsewhere.
- On a Friday evening: if you park in North Street, be out by 6pm.
- By bus: for the 35 and 511, go to the Link Road stops, not Bridge Street.
- Have your say: an online survey opens on 9 November on the project page. A formal six-month objection period also opens once the order is live, with details on the county’s traffic orders page. Questions go to northstreet@hertfordshire.gov.uk.
We will add the works to our roadworks and travel page and report on the first weekend.
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