Roaring Meg - Cycling and Walking Access
In October 2024, Cycling UK Stevenage undertook a survey of walking and cycling routes into and across the Roaring Meg retail park.
A copy of the findings including photos is here. We have shared this with SBC and HCC councillors and officers and Nine Yards, the company that own Roaring Meg.
In February 2025 Stevenage Borough Council approved a Change of Use Planning Application to enable Next to relocate from the Town Centre to Roaring Meg. Cycling UK Stevenage had submitted an objection to raise our concerns about accessibility which ended:
"If this change of use is to go ahead, links to existing pedestrian and cycling infrastructure need to be improved across and into and out of the entire Roaring Meg site to the standard of the national LTN1/20 Guidance."
A copy of our full comment is here.
We have also supported invis-Abilty making a video to show how Roaring Meg can be accessed by people using a wheelchair or other mobility aids.
This video was shared with Nine Yards who have responded, "We are, as a team, reviewing how we may be able to incorporate and consider any improvements going forward".
The vegetation at the main connection to the cycleway between Nando's and Burger King was subsequently trimmed back to improve visibility - see this video.
invis-Ability made also a video showing the transformation at this entrance and exit - video
At that stage, we hoped that any further planning applications for Roaring Meg would include improvements for walking, wheeling and cycling within the retail park.
June 2025 - A new Planning Application for a link road between north and south carparks was submitted. This did include proposals for improvements to pedestrian access at the north access from London Road and the path across the car park from the entrance between Burger King and Nandos - see more here
This application was withdrawn in August 2025. (As a previous application for a link road had been in May 2024)
With the exception of the vegetation clearance at the south west entrance, the walking and cycling routes remain exactly as surveyed in 2024. Since then, Next, Superdrug and Mountain Warehouse have opened and there is a Post Office counter in Hobbycraft. The car park is now frequently operating at and above capacity - this was particularly apparent before and after Christmas 2025.
Accessibility for people walking, wheeling and cycling needs to be improved to enable more people to consider these to be safe and convenient choices - releasing space in the car park for those who need to travel by car.
Details of surveys of nearby Roaring Meg South and Stevenage Retail sites south of Broadhall are here.