Essex: New M25/A12 link road opens as minister hails promise of ‘faster journeys’
A new section of road that links the eastbound M25 to the A12 in Essex junction will ease congestion in Brentwood, Chelmsford and the surrounding areas, says the government. Thousands of motorists are set to “benefit from faster, smoother and safer journeys following an upgrade to a key junction of the M25” after the opening […]
Essex: Multiple closures on A12 planned for major resurfacing project
The A12 in Essex will be the subject of multiple closures this week as major roadworks are carried out in various locations. There will be closures beginning today (Monday August 18) and lasting for most of the week. National Highways has said that they will be carrying out “essential” resurfacing works on the A12 between […]
Braintree District Council urges government to reconsider decision to cancel A12 widening scheme
Braintree District Council has urged the government to reconsider Tuesday’s decision to cancel the A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening scheme. Councillor Graham Butland, Leader of Braintree District Council, said: “We are hugely disappointed by the government’s decision to cancel the A12 widening scheme. It’s a project we’ve consistently championed as it’s essential to improving safety, […]
Essex: Traffic lights on damaged bridge accrue £367,000 bill
More than £365,000 has been spent running traffic lights on a bridge damaged five years ago, the BBC can reveal. The bill has been accumulated by National Highways on Severalls Lane bridge that runs over the A12 in northern Colchester, Essex. The structure was closed five days after the UK went into lockdown in March […]
A12 roadworks completed
Two years of roadworks on the A12 near Colchester have been completed, with a concrete road surface replaced. The reconstruction, which involved completely removing the concrete road surface and some of the foundations, before rebuilding the road and resurfacing it with asphalt, was due to be completed late last year or early this year but […]
M42 and A12 voted “worst roads”
Drivers have rated the M42 as the worst motorway in England in a new survey from the independent watchdog, Transport Focus. The Strategic Roads User Survey asked more than 9000 road users about their last journey on a motorway or major ‘A’ road managed by National Highways. The M42’s place at the bottom of the league table […]
A12 upgrade in doubt as £1.3 billion revamp ‘under review’
The £1.3 billion revamp of one of the busiest routes in the east of England is now uncertain following a government announcement of a review into transport infrastructure. National Highways had been planning to expand the A12, which runs between Chelmsford and the A120 near Colchester in Essex, from two lanes to three in each […]
A12 Margaretting Bypass project completed
National Highways’ work on the £75 million A12 Margaretting Bypass scheme in Essex has been completed – with the road now open to drivers. Work to repair the existing concrete road, that had to come to end of its serviceable life, began in February 2023. It involved installing a new, quieter, asphalt surface for the […]
Delayed A12 reconstruction work “£10m over budget”
A major reconstruction scheme on the A12 is running £10m over budget, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed. National Highways estimated it would have cost £75m by the time it finished work on the Margaretting bypass in Essex. The FOI, submitted by the BBC, also showed the project was due to be completed […]
Suffolk: A12 has UK’s worst surface
The A12 has ranked as having the worst surface quality in the UK last year according to a survey. Transport Focus’ Strategic Roads User Survey for 2022/23 found that the A12, which stretches from Lowestoft in east Suffolk all the way to London, is considered to have the worst surface quality out of all major A roads and motorways […]