We're currently creating the strategic outline business case for the project to submit to government. This will explore what benefits the HERT could provide, the different options available and potential costs.
The aim of the document is to secure funding to develop the project further. No decision has yet been made on the exact route of the system, the type of vehicle or the stations the HERT will serve.
In autumn 2021, we'll be undertaking public engagement to ask for feedback on:
- the principles of the HERT, including the vision of what we want to achieve and its key features
- the need and benefits of the HERT
- current travel behaviours of people in Hertfordshire and West Essex and the possible trips that could be made using the HERT
- the towns and key transport interchanges the HERT could serve within an east-west corridor from Hemel Hempstead and West Watford to Harlow.
We need your help to ensure we build a transport system that works for everyone. Find out more about the HERT at our Public Engagement events in autumn 2021.
Following the submission of the strategic outline business case, and subject to funding from central government, we'll undertake further public consultation to gain views of the different route options that have been identified.
This will be your chance to tell us what you think, helping us establish a preferred option for the routing, the type of mass rapid transit vehicle and how it will operate.
Once we have an agreed option, we will complete an outline business case which will set out:
- what is required to build and operate the new transport system
- how much it will cost
- the resulting benefits.
This business case will enable us to start the process of seeking funding from other organisations such as the Department for Transport and other funding partners. We will also create a more detailed technical design.
Once we have confidence that the scheme is fundable, we will seek statutory powers and approvals, such as planning permission. We will also identify who is going to build and who is going to operate HERT.
This information will feed into a final full business case to unlock funding to allow HERT to be delivered.
Construction can start once we have all the necessary powers, approvals and funding in place. Given the ambitious scale of the project, we expect that it will take several years to reach this stage.