Note from the county council:

You may have heard on the news that the Highways Agency have finally been
able to sign a contract with a consortia of contractors (Connect Plus) for
a massive construction and maintenance contract for the M25 and the “stubs
and tails” of radial motorways including the M1 and A1(m) in Hertfordshire.
The contract is worth £6.2 billion and lasts for 30 years

The contract includes all the widening works that we have been hearing
about on these motorways, tunnel refurbishments and on going maintenance

In particular in Hertfordshire, the M25 widening between J16 (M40) and J23
(A1(m)) and A1(m) Hatfield Tunnel refurbishment are now free to commence

We will share more detail as we get it but I have just heard that:

* the traffic management on the M25 between J 16 (M40) and J 18
Chorleywood will start to go in from midnight on Tuesday 26/5/06. There
will still be three lanes in each direction and a 50 mph limit will be
introduced to be enforced by average speed cameras

* the traffic management on the A1(m) for the Hatfield Tunnel works will
start to go in at midnight on 1/6/09, initially this will be two lanes
on each carriageway and will change to two lane contraflow after 2-3
months. Both junctions 3 and 4 will remain open. There will be a 40 mph
limit in place enforced by average speed cameras

In addition, I have just been made aware that there will be a contraflow on
the A1(m) in the vicinity of J9 (Letchworth Gate) to facilitate repairs to
bridge joints. This will be in place from September to December 2009. There
will be a 50 mph speed limit enforced by average speed cameras.