THE long-awaited creation of a new link road between Hatfield Peverel and Witham has been discussed on site with Highways Minister David Jamieson.Mr Jamieson met yesterday (3) with parish, town and county councillors at the short slip road, which connects the A12 with Hatfield Peverel and has seen a number of fatalities.

THE long-awaited creation of a new link road between Hatfield Peverel and Witham has been discussed on site with Highways Minister David Jamieson.

Mr Jamieson met yesterday (3) with parish, town and county councillors at the short slip road, which connects the A12 with Hatfield Peverel and has seen a number of fatalities.

Plans to build a link road between Witham and Hatfield Peverel have been on the table for more than five years.

But although the final route is still to be decided, some locals have recently suggested it should form part of a bigger scheme and link up with Maldon, bypassing Hatfield Peverel altogether.

Mr Jamieson also made the trip to slip roads at Rivenhall End, which large lorries use to access unsuitable rural roads when driving to Tiptree.

He was visiting Braintree Labour MP Alan Hurst to see for himself the highways problems affecting the constituency.

Yesterday Mr Hurst said: “The scheme is already effectively approved for the Hatfield Peverel/Witham link road, which will make the dangerous slip road at Hatfield Peverel redundant.

“Some people want to make it part of a bigger plan, but I don't think that should be made part and parcel of this, because that would be a considerably larger scheme and the danger would be we would get nothing at all.

“We want the Highways Agency to get a move on. There is a consultation on the route this autumn, and I'm hoping that things can get going soon after that.”

Mr Hurst added that he felt the Mr Jamieson saw why local people wanted action on the Rivenhall End slip roads.

“The superficial solution would be to impose weight limits, but that would push the problem onto Kelvedon, which the lorries would then use.

“The answer, I think, is new slip roads at the Inworth Road Bridge.

“That would mean traffic for Tiptree could come off there without going through Kelvedon or Feering.”

Mr Hurst said he felt Mr Jamieson's visit had been productive.

“He spent the best part of four hours here. I think it has been a very successful day.

“I think the minister now fully understands what the problems are. I think he sees exactly what the position is.”