Transport Berkhamsted

1 transport

1.1 road
1.2 canal
1.3 railway

transport

a strip map showing berkhamsted on route of sparrows herne turnpike. bowles s post chaise companion of 1782


road

the former roman-engineered akeman street through town became, in 1762, part of sparrows herne turnpike, notorious rutted , pitted state after becoming toll road. many coaching inns thrived along route, including, in berkhamsted, king s arms (where exiled king louis xviii of france carried on romance polly page, innkeeper s daughter). town s historic high street a4251. bypass, proposed in 1930s, opened in 1993, , main a41 road passes southwest of berkhamsted. study of car ownership in berkhamsted, northchurch , tring found 43%–45% of households had 2 or more cars (compared county average of 40% , national average of 29%). conversely, proportion of households did not own car 14%–20% (about 7% lower national average). number of local bus routes pass through berkhamsted town centre, providing links hemel hempstead, luton, watford , whipsnade zoo. services include 30, 31, 62, 207, 500 (aylesbury , watford), 501, 502 , 532. buses managed hertfordshire county council s intalink transport service.

berkhamsted s original railway station (1838) on london , birmingham railway grand union canal on right-hand side.


canal

in 1798, grand junction canal (built william jessop) river thames @ brentford berkhamsted completed; extended birmingham in 1805. castle wharf (the port of berkhamsted), on south side of canal between ravens lane , castle street, centre of town s canal trade, navigation , boat building activities. hub of country s inland water transport system, linking ports , industrial centres of country. main activities included transport of coal, grain, building materials , manure. timber yards, boating wharves, breweries, boat building , chemical works flourished result of canal, on 700 workers employed locally. still known port of berkhamsted . separately, francis egerton, 3rd duke of bridgewater (the canal duke , father of inland waterway system ), lived in ashridge, near berkhamsted. canal became part of grand union canal in 1929. once important trade artery, today grand union canal, canal fields , river provide open space, recreational opportunities, , wildlife corridor running east–west through centre of town.

berkhamsted s current railway station next grand union canal.


railway

the next stage in town s transport history occurred in 1834 when, after opposition turnpike trusts , local landowners resolved, first berkhamsted railway station built chief engineer robert stephenson. though castle first building receive statutory protection parliament, railway embankment obliterated old castle barbican , adjacent earthworks. of raw materials used build railway transported via canal. present station built in 1875 when railway widened. unusual on line, in of original buildings have been retained. large trunk station located next berkhamsted castle on 1 side , overlooks grand junction canal on other. station 28 miles (45 km) north-west of london euston on west coast main line. 1 , half million journeys made annually , berkhamsted, vast majority commuters , london. principal services, operated london midland, run between london euston , milton keynes central, additional trains running northampton , birmingham new street. southern train company runs hourly service directly south croydon via clapham junction. proposals extend new crossrail service out of london through berkhamsted milton keynes central considered department transport in 2014, in 2016 announced scheme had been cancelled due poor overall value money taxpayer .