A bid to get two major road improvements in the Essex completed in the next decade has been taken to the roads minister by Colchester MP Will Quince.

He has added his voice to the campaign to get the A120 upgraded between Marks Tey and Braintree – creating a dual carriageway all the way from the A12 to Stansted Airport – and also pressed the case for major improvements to the junction at the south of Colchester.

Mr Quince wants to see the south Colchester junction, which currently only allows traffic to access the A12 heading to or from the south, rebuilt so traffic could also head north.

He said: “There are an increasing number of people living in the Lexden area and if they want to head north up the A12 they tend to go down to Stanway/Tollgate and double-back on themselves. Or they have to drive through the town where there is yet more traffic heading to the Colchester North Entrance development.

“We know that Highways England is planning to improve the road from Stanway to Ardleigh in the RIS2(Road Improvement Strategy) period from 2020 to 2025 and I want to ensure the junction is improved so people can also turn north on to the A12.”

Mr Quince took his concerns to roads minister Jesse Norman – and was confident they would be getting a good hearing.

He said: “Jesse knows the area a bit anyway, but there were also officials from the Department of Transport and Highways England and they could see the point exactly.

“I hope they take these points on board. Now is the time to raise schemes like this – the deadline for applications is in May 2018 so we have six months to make the case.”

Consultations on a new route for a dual carriageway A120 from Kelvedon on the A12 to Braintree have been taking place this year and a preferred route is due to be announced before the end of this year.

The road is seen as a vital link between the region and Stansted Airport – the current A120 between Marks Tey and Braintree is a notorious bottleneck.

Mr Quince said Mr Norman understood the need for the new road and he was looking forward to a positive decision from the government on the future of the new road when the new RIS2 programme is published within the next two years.