Emergency services in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, carried out a large-scale rescue drill on 4 February 2026 to test how the county handles major road pileups. The simulation was designed to ensure that fire, police and ambulance crews can work together effectively during serious accidents on busy local roads.
Hertfordshire County Council reported that over 10 fire appliances and specialised rescue units gathered near the A1(M) and A414 to simulate a massive crash. The exercise helped different emergency teams practise their communication and rescue techniques in a high-pressure environment.
The drill also tested a new system that automatically diverts traffic away from accident scenes to prevent gridlock. According to a Causeway case study about Hertfordshire’s rollout of Automatic Diversion Routes, the system has made managing traffic around incidents up to 50% more efficient since its introduction in 2025.
Crews from Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service used heavy rescue pumps and cutting tools to remove volunteers from crumpled cars while police practised rapid road closures. The exercise helped demonstrate and rehearse measures intended to keep traffic moving in other parts of the county during significant disruption.
This test of local services comes as the county begins a seven-week consultation on how local government is organised in February 2026. Residents can find more information about how these services are managed on the council’s devolution portal: https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/about-the-council/how-the-council-works/devolution.aspx.
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