The A1(M) southbound slip at junction 4 closes overnight to 13 August for barrier repairs. Plus every council car park tariff, and why Hatfield gives three hours free.
Almost every journey out of Welwyn Garden City or Hatfield ends up on the same road, and when the A1(M) shuts between junctions 2 and 4 the traffic comes straight through both town centres. This page covers what is closed now, which junction does what, and what every council car park charges, with the tariffs that came into force on 7 April 2026.
What is closed on the A1(M) this week
From the National Highways seven-day closure report published on 7 August 2026:
- A1(M) southbound, junction 4 exit slip road: closed 22:00 to 05:30, Monday 10 to Thursday 13 August. This is part of a southbound junction 5 to junction 4 scheme of safety barrier repairs, with slip road and lane closures. The diversion is signed on the National Highways network. Junction 4 is the Welwyn Garden City and Hertford junction, so a late run home from the north means carrying on to junction 3 and doubling back.
- Hatfield Tunnel maintenance closures are running. On the night of Friday 7 August the A1(M) was closed southbound from junction 4 to junction 2 between 23:00 and 05:30 and northbound from junction 3 to junction 4 between 23:00 and 06:00, both for tunnel works, with traffic sent onto the local road network. The tunnel sits between junctions 3 and 4 and these overnight closures recur, so check before a late journey.
Further north, junction 9 at Letchworth Gate has a power cable replacement running from Monday 17 August to Tuesday 22 September 2026. The northbound exit slip closes overnight, 21:00 to 05:00, weeknights only, excluding bank holiday Monday 31 August. That matters here mainly if you drive to Letchworth or the A505.
Closures change daily. The two live sources are the National Highways road closure report for the A1(M) and one.network for every other road in the borough, which Hertfordshire County Council maintains.
The junctions, and which one you want
Getting the junction wrong on the A1(M) costs you several miles, because there is nowhere to turn round between them.
| Junction | Roads | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | A1001 | Welham Green, south Hatfield |
| 3 | A414 | Hatfield town centre, St Albans, the university |
| 4 (Stanborough) | A414, A6129 | Welwyn Garden City, Hertford, Stanborough Park |
| 6 | A1000 | Welwyn village, north Welwyn Garden City |
The Hatfield Tunnel runs between junctions 3 and 4 for about three quarters of a mile. It is the single point of failure on this stretch: when it closes, whether for planned maintenance or an incident, both carriageways of traffic are pushed onto the A1000 and the A414 through Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City.
Junction 5 is not a full junction and is signed as access only, so for practical purposes the borough has three exits: 3 for Hatfield, 4 for Welwyn Garden City and 6 for Welwyn village.
What parking actually costs
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council runs the town-centre car parks in both towns. The tariffs below took effect on 7 April 2026 and apply Monday to Saturday, 7am to 6pm. Sundays and bank holidays are free in every council car park listed here, and Blue Badge holders get three hours free in a marked bay.
| Car park | Spaces | Up to 2 hrs | 3 to 4 hrs | Over 4 hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunters Bridge, WGC (multi-storey) | 634 | £2.35 | £4.35 | £8.25 |
| Campus East Lower, WGC | 325 | £2.25 | £4.35 | £8.25 |
| Cherry Tree, WGC (Saturdays only) | 42 | £2.25 | £4.35 | £8.25 |
| The Common, Hatfield (multi-storey) | 420 | Free | £4.45 | £8.25 |
| Lemsford Road, Hatfield | 149 | Free | Free | Free in long-stay bays |
| Northaw Great Wood | — | £1.20 all day, 8am to 6pm | ||
The single biggest difference between the two towns is the first three hours. Hatfield’s Common multi-storey gives you up to three hours free as long as you take a ticket. Welwyn Garden City gives you thirty minutes, then starts charging. Park for a two-hour shop and it costs £2.35 in Welwyn Garden City and nothing in Hatfield.
Past four hours the two towns converge on £8.25 and the free-parking advantage disappears, which is deliberate: the council’s cheap short stay is aimed at shoppers, not commuters.
Season tickets and permits
- Campus East Lower, Welwyn Garden City: £95.00 a month, £265.00 for three months. Digital only, applied for through the council’s website. There is a £30 cancellation fee per ticket.
- The Common, Hatfield: a local worker and town-centre resident ticket at £105.00 for three months or £315.00 a year.
- Northaw Great Wood: £35.00 for the year, valid from 7 April 2026.
- Batterdale A, Hatfield is B01 permit holders only, Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm.
Height limits worth knowing
Hunters Bridge has a 2m height limit and The Common 2.1m, so a roof box or a van will not get into either. Campus East Lower is 3m but drops under the garages and has a five-tonne weight limit. Lemsford Road in Hatfield is 1.8m, the tightest in the borough. Northaw Great Wood is 2.1m.
Station parking
The two station car parks are run by APCOA, not the council, and they price very differently. Welwyn Garden City on Osborn Way (AL8 6TU) has 401 spaces, 78 of them with EV charging, and charges £6.20 for up to 12 hours or £7.50 for 24. Hatfield on Great North Road (AL9 5AB) has 369 spaces and charges a flat £10.10 a day, plus a 15p convenience fee, with daily rates expiring at 4am. At weekends Hatfield is the cheaper of the two at £3.80.
Full detail, including season ticket prices and the fare comparison between the two stations, is on Welwyn Garden City train times to London.
Parking at Stanborough Park
Stanborough Park is off the A6129 at junction 4 and its car park is cashless: 20 minutes free, £1.50 for an hour, £6 for three hours and £10 all day, with discounts for Blue Badge holders and registered local residents. On a hot Saturday in the school holidays it fills early, and the park is reachable on foot from central Welwyn Garden City along the Lea. What is actually there is covered on things to do in Welwyn Garden City.
Frequently asked questions
Is the A1(M) closed at Hatfield tonight?
Check the National Highways road closure report, which is updated twice daily on weekdays and covers the next seven days. As of the 7 August 2026 report, the southbound junction 4 exit slip road closes 22:00 to 05:30 from Monday 10 to Thursday 13 August for safety barrier repairs, and overnight Hatfield Tunnel maintenance closures between junctions 2 and 4 have been running.
Which A1(M) junction is Welwyn Garden City?
Junction 4, the Stanborough interchange, where the A1(M) meets the A414 and the A6129. Junction 3 is Hatfield and St Albans; junction 6 is Welwyn village and the north of Welwyn Garden City.
Where can I park free in Welwyn Garden City?
In the council car parks, Sundays and bank holidays are free and the first 30 minutes are free on any day if you take a ticket. There is no all-day free option in the town centre. In Hatfield, Lemsford Road is free and The Common multi-storey gives three hours free.
How much is parking in Hatfield town centre?
Nothing for up to three hours at The Common multi-storey if you take a ticket, then £4.45 for three to four hours and £8.25 beyond that. Lemsford Road is free, with 63 short-stay bays limited to four hours and 82 all-day bays.
Who do I report a pothole or a roadworks problem to?
Roads inside the borough are Hertfordshire County Council’s responsibility and are mapped at one.network. The A1(M) is National Highways. Car parks are the borough council’s.
Sources
- National Highways road closure report and its seven-day closure spreadsheet published 7 August 2026, for the A1(M) junction 4 and Hatfield Tunnel closures.
- National Highways East maintenance schemes for the junction 9 power cable replacement dates.
- Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council car park records for every tariff, capacity, height limit and season ticket price quoted, all valid from 7 April 2026.
- APCOA Welwyn Garden City and APCOA Hatfield for station car park tariffs.
- Better, Stanborough Park Water Sports Centre for Stanborough parking charges.
- one.network Hertfordshire, the county council’s live roadworks map.
Closures and tariffs change. Confirm with National Highways, Hertfordshire County Council or the borough council before you travel. Where the roads are taking new traffic from is on Welwyn Hatfield planning news.
Have your say
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