Councils have re-stated the importance of upgrading part of the A120 to a dual carriageway between Braintree and the A12. ECC, together with Braintree District Council, is also urging National Highways to press ahead with a widely supported route for the road.
Essex County Council has already run a public consultation into proposed routes for the new road. The consultation found four out of five residents support the need for a dual carriageway. It also identified Option D as the most widely supported route. This would go from Galleys Corner on the edge of Braintree to Junction 23 of the A12 south of Kelvedon.
After National Highways started re-surveying route options for the road, the councils have united to reaffirm their support for the road’s upgrade – and Option D.
Essex County Council, supported by Braintree District Council, developed the current proposals for the A120 upgrade. This work was passed to Highways England, now National Highways. National Highways is set to a recommend a preferred option to the Department for Transport early in the New Year.
Cllr Lesley Wagland OBE, Cabinet Member for Economic Renewal, Infrastructure and Planning at Essex County Council, said: “Residents, road users, businesses and the wider economy would reap the benefits of a fit-for-purpose A120.
“Having carried out all the background planning, research and consultation to make the case for the A120 upgrade, we firmly believe Option D is the best and should be progressed as quickly as possible.
“While we welcome National Highways’ work towards agreeing a preferred route with Government, we are determined that there should be no delay in upgrading a road that everyone knows is woefully inadequate for the job it needs to do.
“Our scheme is a very real and practical solution for one of the county’s most important, yet most over-used, roads which, in its current state, stifles economic growth with unreliable journey times, congestion-related delays and safety issues affecting tens of millions of journeys every year.
“Therefore, we once again urge all involved to progress this as quickly as possible.”
(PIcture – Google Streetview)
