Bishop's Stortford Local Information
Practical local information for Bishop's Stortford: bin collection days, parking, council tax bands and planning, each one linked back to the official source.
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Bishop's Stortford Roadworks: No Trains 17-18 Oct, M11 J7
No trains at Bishop's Stortford on 17-18 October; buses run. The M11 J7 exit at Harlow shuts for two months from 19 October. This week's closures, checked.
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Bins
Bishop's Stortford Christmas bins: 2026 dates and last year's
East Herts moved every collection from 25 December to 16 January last year, some by three days. The 2026 table is not out yet; here is last year's in full.
Schools
Bishop's Stortford term dates 2026/27: half term by school
Herts half term is 26 to 30 October, but Hockerill and the College break for two weeks from 17 October and St Mary's returns on 4 November. Every date here.
Recycling centre
Bishop's Stortford tip: shut Tue and Wed, ePass needed
Bishop's Stortford tip opens 8.30am to 4pm, closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and every car now needs a free ePass. Christmas closures and the nearest daily sites.
Trains
Bishop's Stortford Christmas trains: 2025 ran to Stratford
Last Christmas Liverpool Street shut for eight days and Stortford trains ran to Stratford. Greater Anglia's 2026 plan is not out yet; here is what to expect.
Half term
Bishop's Stortford half term: 26-30 Oct, free pumpkin patch
Herts half term is 26 to 30 October. A free pumpkin patch, £5 children's films, a skeleton hunt at Mountfitchet and the forest car park that shuts on Mondays.
Bins
Bishop's Stortford bin collection days: 5 bins, 3 weeks
Five bins on a three-week rota, garden waste £61 a year, bulky collections £61.20. Bank holidays push every round a day later, and a missed bin gives two days.
Parking
Parking in Bishop's Stortford: all day from £4.40
Northgate End is £4.40 all day, Apton Road and Basbow Lane £8.10. Every council tariff, the free 30 minutes, Sunday rates, permits and the station car park.
Council Tax
Bishop's Stortford council tax bands: band D £2,413.91
Band D in Bishop's Stortford is £2,413.91 this year, up £109.31. The full A to H table, and which of the four bodies on the bill put its share up.
Local Info
Bishop's Stortford house prices: £416,250 town median
The middle Bishop's Stortford home sold for £416,250, the lowest median of the four East Herts towns. Plus medians for Ware, Hertford, Hoddesdon and Cheshunt.
Local Info
Bishop's Stortford trains to London: 37 min, £5,492/yr
The fastest trains reach Liverpool Street in 37 minutes, but not in the morning peak. Peak and off-peak times, 2026 season prices and the new contactless fares.
Local Info
Things to do in Bishop's Stortford: free museum, £9 forest
The town museum is free and the castle mound is open to climb. Checked 2026 prices for Hatfield Forest, Mountfitchet Castle and the Olympic white water course.
Local Info
Bishop's Stortford planning: 3.4 years of housing land
East Herts can show only 3.4 to 3.7 years of housing land against a five-year duty. Plus Old River Lane, still undecided 137 days past its determination deadline.
Trains
Bishop's Stortford Christmas trains: 2025 ran to Stratford
Last Christmas Liverpool Street shut for eight days and Stortford trains ran to Stratford. Greater Anglia's 2026 plan is not out yet; here is what to expect.
Half term
Bishop's Stortford half term: 26-30 Oct, free pumpkin patch
Herts half term is 26 to 30 October. A free pumpkin patch, £5 children's films, a skeleton hunt at Mountfitchet and the forest car park that shuts on Mondays.
Bins
Bishop's Stortford bin collection days: 5 bins, 3 weeks
Five bins on a three-week rota, garden waste £61 a year, bulky collections £61.20. Bank holidays push every round a day later, and a missed bin gives two days.
Parking
Parking in Bishop's Stortford: all day from £4.40
Northgate End is £4.40 all day, Apton Road and Basbow Lane £8.10. Every council tariff, the free 30 minutes, Sunday rates, permits and the station car park.
Council Tax
Bishop's Stortford council tax bands: band D £2,413.91
Band D in Bishop's Stortford is £2,413.91 this year, up £109.31. The full A to H table, and which of the four bodies on the bill put its share up.
Local Info
Bishop's Stortford house prices: £416,250 town median
The middle Bishop's Stortford home sold for £416,250, the lowest median of the four East Herts towns. Plus medians for Ware, Hertford, Hoddesdon and Cheshunt.
Local Info
Bishop's Stortford trains to London: 37 min, £5,492/yr
The fastest trains reach Liverpool Street in 37 minutes, but not in the morning peak. Peak and off-peak times, 2026 season prices and the new contactless fares.
Local Info
Things to do in Bishop's Stortford: free museum, £9 forest
The town museum is free and the castle mound is open to climb. Checked 2026 prices for Hatfield Forest, Mountfitchet Castle and the Olympic white water course.
Local Info
Bishop's Stortford planning: 3.4 years of housing land
East Herts can show only 3.4 to 3.7 years of housing land against a five-year duty. Plus Old River Lane, still undecided 137 days past its determination deadline.