CAMPAIGNERS calling for improvements to the A120 road are celebrating a double dose of good news.For years pleas have been made for the A120 to be dualled from Hare Green to Harwich.

By Juliette Maxam

CAMPAIGNERS calling for improvements to the A120 road are celebrating a double dose of good news.

For years pleas have been made for the A120 to be dualled from Hare Green to Harwich.

Yesterday, the Bathside Bay planning inquiry was told Hutchison Ports has agreed to fund improvements to the A120 if the new container port at Harwich gets the go-ahead.

Hutchison has agreed that, should planning consent for the Bathside Bay development be given, there will be a condition that the terminal would not be built until the Government ordered improvements to the A120, which would be paid for by the port company.

Meanwhile, Harwich MP Ivan Henderson raised the issue of the future of the A120 in Parliament and was given assurances by the Under Secretary of State for Transport David Jamieson.

Mr Henderson asked whether the Government would consider improvements to the A120 if Bathside Bay was developed.

Mr Jamieson told Harwich's Labour MP there would be a review of the road if the port was given the green light.

Last night, Mr Henderson, commenting on both issues, said: “This is extremely good news. If Bathside Bay gets the go-ahead then there will be a major impact on the A120. It would be imperative that such a decision triggered a review for the A120.

“There have been calls for the A120 to be dualled for many years and at last the need has been officially recognised.”

Ramsey and Parkeston Parish Council is setting up a petition asking for the road to be dualled, following the results of a recent traffic census which showed a massive increase in vehicle movements.

Yesterday, chairman Mick Lowe said: “It's good news if the MP has got a response from Government.”

However, he added: “We still think dualling the A120 to start with would be better than waiting for Bathside Bay. We've got to have the infrastructure in the first place before you start putting extra vehicles down there.”

The recent traffic census showed 15,133 vehicles passed the Ramsey roundabout near Harwich, an increase of one third on Government figures compiled in 2001. Of that total, nearly 2,500 were lorries and HGVs.

Nearly two years ago, the East Anglian Daily Times launched an Action for the A120 campaign, backed by thousands of readers, calling for safety improvements on the Tendring stretch of the main road.