Essex plans to demolish 200-year-old bridge scrapped in favour of repairing it
Essex County Council are preparing a scheme to strengthen a 200-year-old bridge in Essex, removing the need to rebuild it. Independent assessors have previously confirmed that some of the oldest parts of Finchingfield Bridge are in a state of disrepair, says Essex Live. Essex Highways had put a plan together to rebuild the bridge with […]
Essex: £1 billion contract extension sparks council controversy
A war of words has broken out over a proposed £1 billion highways contract extension by Essex County Council, with the leader of Basildon Council calling it a “gross overreach”. The proposal, put forward at a county council cabinet meeting earlier this month recommends the procurement of a seven-year contract with the current agreement set […]
Highways milestone for Essex approved by County Council Cabinet
A key milestone in the process of continuing to improve the county’s road network has been given the green light by Essex County Council’s Cabinet. The decision, which is subject to call-in, means a tender will be published later this autumn enabling interested suppliers to submit their bids to be responsible for the maintenance and repair […]
MP blames delays to A127 improvements for stopping businesses coming to Essex
The Member of Parliament for Southend East and Rochford, Bayo Alaba, has warned that delays to vital improvements on the A127 are stifling economic growth and deterring investment in the city as the cash-strapped Government considers their affordability. Essex Live reports that over a year has passed since Essex County Council submitted a Strategic Outline […]
Brentwood: Removal of cobbles that ‘gave the high street character’ criticised
The decision to remove Brentwood high street’s cobble stones and replace them with asphalt has had something of a mixed reaction. Essex County Council was told earlier this year that the cobbled high street in Brentwood has been described as a deathtrap due to poor repair and maintenance, says Essex Live. The town’s cobbled road surface […]
Essex County Council appoints ECR to deliver county-wide transport app
Essex County Council has appointed ECR Solutions, part of the HopOn Group, to deliver a new multipurpose sustainable transport app. This will allow passengers to plan journeys, book digital demand responsive transport (DDRT), buy tickets and more. The new app will allow residents across Greater Essex to plan, book and pay for journeys using their […]
Essex roads get £25m Priority One tidy-up
Nearly 2,000 drainage, vegetation and signage improvements have been delivered across Essev. £25 million worth of improvements have been made in addition to usual highways maintenance. The single largest investment in Essex Highways has resulted in thousands of fixes to overgrown vegetation, tired signage, damaged drains and broken bollards. The £25 million Priority One programme […]
Authorities apologise after Colchester roadworks “chaos”
A week of traffic chaos caused by major roadworks across Colchester has forced local authorities into an apology to residents. Drivers were infuriated after a combination of traffic restrictions and closures in Old Heath Road, Wimpole Road, Magdalen Street, Brook Street, Clingoe Hill, Mile End Road and Northern Approach Road left the city gridlocked. Some of […]
Essex County Council issues statement on Lower Thames Crossing
After the Government announced that the Lower Thames Crossing project had been granted planning approval. Essex County Council issued a largely positive statement on the potential impacts of the £10 billion scheme. Councillor Louise McKinlay, Essex County Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities, Economic Growth and Prosperity, said: “The Lower Thames Crossing project is […]
Fuel-eating bacteria digest oil spills in Essex
Essex Highways is using microbiology to clean up oil spills as one of the first authorities to deploy microorganisms on a road network. Traditional methods of clearing fuel spills rely on sand and other absorbent materials. This can require road closures for up to three to six hours, depending on the size, as well as […]