Highways England have announced new plans to upgrade sections of the A12 between Chelmsford and Marks Tey in Essex following plans to construct a new garden community at Marks Tey.

The Roads Minister, Baroness Vere, announced that the upgrades to the A12 will include the widening of the highway to three lane sections, in both directions, between Junctions 19 and 23 while also entailing the construction of a new three-lane bypass in each direction at Rivenhall End.

Adding to this, the minister announced that public consultations will soon take place to decide upon the preferred of the A12 between Junctions 23 and 25, with the road scheduled to undergo an upgrade in order to serve the garden community which is proposed to be built.

The Colchester Braintree Borders Garden Community at Marks Tey will require greater connections and infrastructure to thrive as a successful community and so an upgrade has been suggested to a section of the A12 between Junctions 23 and 25 to connect the proposed settlement while also improving traffic and congestion in the area.

The Highways England Project Leader, Stephen Elderkin stated: “The A12 is a key route connecting the East of England to London. With the high levels of congestion, it’s a route that Highways England and the Government are committed to improving.

“Our proposed improvements will increase safety and average speeds, so that someone travelling on the A12 daily can expect to save over an hour of travel time each week.”

Baroness Vere added: “I want the A12 to be as safe as possible for the 90,000 people who use it each day. That is why we are committed to modernising this major road, supporting growth in the region and improving journeys for all.”

The non-statutory public consultations will cease in December and a preferred route is scheduled to be announced in the summer of 2020, following which statutory public consultations will take place and Development Consent Order submitted in 2021.

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