Herbert Road Updates

Progress continues on the M11/N11 Junction 4 to Junction 14 Improvement Scheme, with the project currently moving from Phase 2 (Options Selection) into Phase 3 (Design and Environmental Evaluation).

The design stage is now out to tender, with the selection of a design team expected by early September 2025. Once the team is in place, the design phase is estimated to take around 18 months, bringing us into 2027 for the completion of detailed plans and assessments. Assuming no delays in approvals or procurement, construction could begin in 2029 at the earliest.

What Was Done in Phase 2?

During Phase 2, traffic modelling relied on pre-COVID data from 2019 to forecast future road usage through to 2042. This gave a broad understanding of how the corridor would operate and what demands are likely to be placed on it in the coming decades.

What’s Changing in Phase 3?

Phase 3 will build on that work with updated traffic data and more detailed analysis. Crucially, this next stage will include a wider traffic impact assessment across all of Bray, not just the immediate project area.

This is particularly relevant to areas like Herbert Road, where any proposed closure would shift traffic patterns significantly. Early modelling shows that while some area, such as the Southern Cross Road and Killarney Road, could benefit from reduced traffic, others, like Fran O’Toole Bridge and Kilbride Lane may see increased volumes, even with upgrades planned at Junction 7.

Local Concerns and Design Alternatives

The upgrades at Junction 7 have already been influenced by input from the public consultation process, and those insights continue to shape the current tender.

Importantly, the design brief for Phase 3 explicitly calls for alternatives to closing Herbert Road. Options under consideration include:

Linking Herbert Road to Dargle Lane junction, or

Creating a parallel service road connecting Herbert Road directly to Junction 7.

The project engineer leading the coordination of the scheme has acknowledged the potential ripple effects on Bray's internal road network and is committed to incorporating these concerns into the final design.