A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening (Junctions 23 to 25) - October 2019

Overview

Have your say

We're consulting on our proposed route options for the A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening between junctions 23 and 25, in the event that a proposed garden community development near Marks Tey goes ahead.

The consultation is open from 21 October to 1 December 2019.

We recommend that you read the consultation brochure and additional supporting material available below before responding to the consultation.

You can use the following methods to respond to this consultation:

• Complete an online version of the response form by following the link below.
   
• Send a paper copy of the response form to our freepost address (a stamp is not required): Freepost A12 WIDENING
   
• Place a completed copy of the response form into a response box at one of our public consultation events.

To allow us time to collect and assess all responses to this consultation please ensure your response reaches us by 11.59pm on 1 December 2019

Public consultation events

One of the best ways to find out more about our proposals is to come along to one of our public consultation events. Here you can find out more about the A12 widening and speak to members of the project team who will be happy to answer any questions you may have:

Public information points

We have several locations where copies of our consultation documents are available:

Why your views matter

Background

In 2017, we held a consultation to widen the A12 from Chelmsford to the junction with the A120. We presented four options for the stretch of road running from junctions 19 to 25.

You can read more about the 2017 consultation and its route options here.

Since then, the local authorities of Colchester, Braintree and Tendring have been pursuing a joint Local Plan which has proposed several garden communities. The joint Local Plan is currently subject to a public examination. For more information about the proposed garden communities please visit www.ne-gc.co.uk. 

The Planning Inspector has asked for more evidence from the councils to back up their joint Local Plan. For our part, a key piece of evidence is to show how the A12 between junctions 24 and 25 could be moved to consider the Colchester Braintree Borders Garden Community if it were to go ahead.

If the garden community does go ahead, it is likely to impact on the routes that we presented in our 2017 consultation, specifically on the section between junction 24 (Kelvedon North) and junction 25 (Marks Tey interchange).

We have therefore been reconsidering the possible road routes between these junctions. Also, a fourth lane in each direction between junctions 23 (Kelvedon South) and 24 (Kelvedon North) may be required.

Why do we need to improve the A12?

The A12 is an important economic link in Essex and across the east of England. It provides the main south-west/north-east route through Essex and Suffolk, connecting Ipswich to London and to the M25.

The section between Chelmsford and Colchester (junction 19 Boreham interchange to junction 25 Marks Tey interchange) carries high volumes
of traffic, with up to 90,000 vehicles every day. The resulting congestion
leads to delays and means that, during the morning commute, a driver’s
average speed is particularly slow in both directions for an A-road.

Heavy goods vehicles are between 9% and 12% of the traffic on this section due to its important freight connection, especially to Felixstowe and Harwich ports. It is also an important commuter route between Chelmsford and Colchester.

What happens next?