WATCH: UK's most innovative - and confusing - roundabout officially opens in Hemel Hempstead with a rather unoriginal name

Hemel is famous for its ‘magic roundabout’ and now there is another addition to the quirky roundabout family in the town.

A Dutch-style roundabout that has been in the works on Boundary Way in Hemel Hempstead was officially opened last week in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Herts County Council say it offers safer and more accessible journeys for those walking, wheeling and cycling in the area now and in the future.

It says everything about how alien the concept of the new roundabout is for UK drivers that Hertfordshire County Council has felt the need to launch a CGI video explainer – which you can see at the top of this story – to help people get their heads around the new installation.

Councillors, project partners and local stakeholders attended a launch event, which included a speech from Councillor Steve Jarvis (Leader of Hertfordshire County Council), along with a guided walk and cycle ride through the Quietway and new infrastructure in the area which separates those walking, wheeling and cycling from some of the busy roads and Heavy Goods vehicles in the area.

Attendees from Active Travel England, Dacorum Borough Council, the Bikeability Trust, and local cycling groups all participated in the launch.

The roundabout also received its official name during the launch. Although it was not quite as imaginative as the roundabout itself, with the installation simply named ‘Dutch Roundabout’.

A new bus stop was also unveiled during the event to be in the location of the new ‘Dutch roundabout’.

It is the final installation in a series of improvements funded by Active Travel England in the Maylands area of Hemel Hempstead, designed to promote active and sustainable travel. It connects both completed sections of the Buncefield Lane Quietway, helping to link residential neighbourhoods, the Maylands Business Park, and wider travel routes being developed as part of Hemel Garden Communities.

With up to 11,000 new homes and thousands of new jobs planned for the area by 2050, the roundabout is part of a long-term strategy to enable walking, wheeling and cycling and reduce car dependency, especially for shorter journeys, in the growing town. The Dutch-style layout prioritises safety for more vulnerable road users and is designed to give people confidence to choose more sustainable transport options.

Councillor Stephen Giles Medhurst OBE, Executive Member for Highways at Hertfordshire County Council, said: “We want walking, wheeling and cycling to be safe, convenient and attractive options for people making every day journeys. The roundabout supports Hertfordshire County Council’s wider aim to deliver a more accessible, future-ready transport network that works for everyone, helping to build healthier and better-connected communities.”