Introduction from Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Essex County Council
Within our annual budget proposals we have set an ambitious programme of capital spending, with £86million earmarked for investment in improvements to our highways network.
Work on the Fairglen Interchange and the M11 J8 upgrades will begin in the coming year, both of which will make a significant difference to road users in those areas.
This Spring we will also see two of our largest schemes, the Chelmsford North East Bypass and the Colchester A120-A133 Link Road, reach the planning stage. Funded through the Housing Investment Fund, the schemes are being delivered in acknowledgement that housing and business growth needs to be supported by infrastructure. They will also go further, supporting the wider transport network by providing better access to strategic roads designed for heavier traffic, therefore, reducing the impact of development on more local, urban roads.
Reducing traffic within our towns is an important ambition, not just in terms of limiting congestion, but also the knock-on health implications of poor air quality. You may well have seen our safer, greener, healthier campaign and over the coming years we are going to see an increased focus on supporting people to walk, cycle or use public transport as an alternative to making short journeys by car.
I hope you enjoy reading this newsletter and if you have any questions about any of the schemes, please do contact the respective project teams.
Chelmsford North East Bypass
A planning application for the Chelmsford North East bypass - part of a £250 million investment which also includes a new Beaulieu railway station - is due to be submitted this Spring.
Supporting long-term sustainable growth across Chelmsford and mid-Essex, the new 8km road scheme, will run between the A131 and the A12 at Boreham.
Following public engagement last year, the planning application offers a further opportunity for public comment ahead of a decision on the project later this year.
Construction of the bypass is scheduled to begin in 2023, with the scheme expected to open the following year.
To find out more about the scheme and to receive the latest project updates, visit the scheme website.
Colchester A120-A133 Link Road
In 2019, Essex County Council successfully bid for funding to help support planned housing growth across the county, with the A120/A133 Link Road and Colchester Rapid Transit System receiving £99 million.
Supporting the creation of the Tendring Colchester Garden Community, the new link road will help manage the impact of the development as it grows, while also supporting the wider network by making it easier to access the A120 and A12.
The planned route will leave the A133 via a roundabout east of the University of Essex, joining the A120 via a junction east of Bromley Road.
The next steps will see the scheme submitted for planning in the coming weeks. To support this, a virtual exhibition of the proposals will be on display via the scheme website.
Construction is due to begin in 2022, with completion in 2024, ahead of the first homes.
For more information and to sign up for the link road newsletter, visit the scheme website.
M11 Junction 7A
The new M11 Junction 7A is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country for a number of years, and will see the creation of a much needed new access to and from Harlow.
Work is currently underway on the widening of Gilden Way and has reached the Churchgate Roundabout. The widening of this part of the existing network is an important element of the scheme, creating an extra lane for traffic approaching Harlow, as well as improved walking and cycling access.
Alongside this, work is underway on the junction element itself. Piling works have been completed for the west and east abutments of a new bridge and piling for the various motorway gantries along the hard shoulder continues both northbound and southbound.
Earthworks for the new link road and M11 slip roads on to and off the M11 at the new junction 7A will begin later this month.
For more information and to sign up for contractor updates, visit the M11 Junction 7A website.
A120
A preferred route for a long-awaited dual carriageway upgrade of part of the A120 could be known early next year.
Highways England is progressing the scheme after Essex County Council handed over its work to date on the project.
This included selecting a favoured route for the upgrade, from Galleys Corner on the edge of Braintree to the A12, just south of Kelvedon.
At a briefing with county councillors, Highways England updated on its work, saying the early part of 2022 was a possible date for announcing its preferred route.
However, it said there was a need to stay aligned with the development of the associated A12 improvement scheme and the priority was to have in place the best possible supporting evidence for the A120 when it was considered for ministerial approval next year.
The A120 upgrade is seen as vital for the county with the current road considered woefully inadequate for such an important strategic route and the improvement scheme set to bring about a £2.2 billion boost to the local economy through new jobs, business and housing while also dramatically improve road safety.
Army and Navy
Work is continuing to progress as quickly as possible on a new long-term solution at the Army and Navy gateway in Chelmsford.
Having completed our latest option assessment and announced a final shortlist of junction improvement options expected to go to public consultation this summer, we are now completing further air quality and noise assessment of the options and more work on the planned expansion of Sandon Park and Ride and a proposed new Park and Ride site at Widford.
Following feedback received during briefing sessions with businesses, transport groups, community groups and councillors in January, we are also exploring the possibility of further improvements to the proposed pedestrian and cycling facilities at the Army and Navy gateway.
Together with the Park and Ride proposals, walking and cycling improvements form a critical part of the Army and Navy Sustainable Transport Package and our plans to provide people with greater choice about how they travel around the city.
To receive all of the latest news on the project, sign up for our Army and Navy e-newsletter.