Tendring District Council has said it is “disappointed” by a decision to cancel a £1.2bn road widening scheme on the A12, which is used by up to 90,000 vehicles a day.
The plan would have seen a 16-mile stretch of the road from Chelmsford to Marks Tey widened. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has cancelled the scheme, claiming that although approved by the previous Conservative government, there were never the funds available to pay for it.
Mark Stephenson, Leader of Tendring District Council, said: “We have long been supportive of the proposed government investment in the A12 widening scheme as a key to unlock future growth both in Tendring and the wider region, which can deliver so much for UK PLC.
“This investment, aside from the short-term jobs and investment from construction, would help to open up economic opportunities at Freeport East and elsewhere in the district; as well as providing critical infrastructure to support longer-term housing growth across North Essex, something being driven by successive governments.
“We are therefore disappointed by this announcement, and support our partner local authorities – especially recognising our shared direction of travel with Local Government Reorganisation – in urging reconsideration of this decision.”
The A12 scheme was said to be one of the most expensive on the books and, in cancelling it, Ms Alexander has instead prioritised improvements to roads in the north of England and the Midlands.
Louise McKinlay, Essex County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Levelling Up, Communities and Business Engagement, said: “The 16 mile stretch of the A12 between Chelmsford and Colchester is widely acknowledged as being unfit for purpose; indeed a recent satisfaction survey by Transport Focus rated the A12 as the worst A-road in the country following a survey of 9,000 road users. It is frankly essential that improvements to this vitally important corridor are made. I will be seeking an urgent meeting with Government ministers to discuss how the opportunity presented by the widening project, which has been many years in the making, is not lost.
“Having previously decided not to progress an upgrade to the A120, which is the other key corridor in Essex managed by National Highways in much need of improvement, if the Government does not now deliver any of the consented and previously-committed works needed on the A12 corridor this would represent a double-whammy for Essex which we must avoid.”
