Drivers face traffic chaos as national speed limit gets slashed to 50mph across vital A-road this week

The stretch of road between Borehamwood and South Mimms will see its maximum speed drop as part of new radical plans to crack down on dangerous driving.

National Highways explained that the measure would be necessary following a concerning pattern of accidents on a section of the Barnet Bypass.

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The speed reduction will affect approximately three kilometres of the major route in both directions, spanning from the Rowley Lane junction in Borehamwood to the intersection with the A1(M) and M25 at junction 23 near South Mimms.

Installation work for new signage began last Thursday evening, with crews operating overnight to minimise disruption to traffic flow.

The decision follows a troubling safety record, with 55 collisions resulting in injuries recorded along this portion of the A1 during the previous five years.

National Highways identified this section as requiring urgent intervention after conducting comprehensive collision analysis and risk assessments.

The affected area encompasses the entire Barnet Bypass segment running through Hertfordshire, as detailed by National Highways.

Drivers will need to adjust to the lower limits across the full distance between the Rowley Lane junction and where the A1 meets the M25 at junction 23.

Research conducted by the agency indicated that excessive speed contributes to nearly half of all incidents on its network. The organisation said that adjusting speeds to match road conditions and environments significantly improves safety outcomes for all road users.

Joanne Clifton, project sponsor at National Highways, said: "Safety is at the heart of everything we do, and that is why our ambition remains that no one should be harmed while travelling or working on our roads.

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"We are reducing the speed limit on this stretch of the A1 following 55 injury collisions over the last five years, and overall, these changes will aim to make this road safer for all users by reducing the number of collisions."

The installation work continues through the week, with teams operating between 10pm and 6am on weeknights to complete the signage changes. Weather conditions permitting, all new speed limit signs should be operational by Friday morning.

Local police will also be responsible for enforcing the new restrictions once they take effect, with drivers warned of £100 penalties for failing to follow the new rules.

Motorists encountering closures at Rowley Lane, Holmshill Lane or the A1(M) junction have been advised of specific diversion routes.

Southbound traffic must follow the M25 anticlockwise to junction 21a, then take the A405 south, M1 south to junction 4, and the A41 eastbound before rejoining the A1 northbound at Stirling Corner.

Vehicles unable to use motorways should utilise the A1081 southbound and A411 westbound to reach Stirling Corner junction. The southbound carriageway between the A1(M) junction 1 and Rowley Lane experiences full overnight closures during the installation period.

National Highways explained that it has positioned this intervention as part of wider regional safety improvements across the South East. The organisation's data revealed that inappropriate speed plays a role in approximately half of all collisions on its managed roads.

The Barnet Bypass forms part of targeted speed management initiatives based on comprehensive collision data and risk evaluations. National Highways maintains that reducing speeds in line with road environments and prevailing conditions delivers measurable safety improvements.