Businesses have called on the Government to tackle congestion on a busy road in an open letter.

The letter, to Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin MP, calls for a share of £15bn of government funding to fund improvements to the A1(M).

Signatories include Elstree Studios, the University of Hertfordshire, Rexel UK and Morrison Utility Group, who are calling for a share of £15bn of government funding to pay for improvements to the road.

Roger Morris, managing director of Elstree Studios, said: “Borehamwood sees significant congestion into and out of London towards the M25. This makes it hard for local residents to look further afield for work and to keep bringing talent into Hertfordshire.

“By securing this investment in the A1(M), we can ensure that Borehamwood can continue to thrive and help unlock growth across Hertfordshire as a whole.”

The A1(M), which runs from the M25 near Borehamwood, currently experiences severe congestion, which raises journey times and casualty rates.

The open letter is led by the Hertfordshire A1 Corridor Consortium, an alliance of businesses and political representatives calling for improvements.

As a first step, the consortium is calling for immediate upgrades to the stretch between junctions 6 and 8, which links Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage, although longer term investment is required to relieve congestion all the way through junctions 1 to 9. 

One member, Andrew Percival, said: “The range of businesses from across Hertfordshire’s sectors showing support for these A1(M) upgrades demonstrates the county’s real economic potential.

“The voice of Hertfordshire’s businesses is at the heart of our campaign and this letter will have weight with the Secretary of State."