The A120 could join the A12 at Rivenhall or Kelvedon instead of Marks Tey as potential routes for the new dualled road are revealed.
Essex County Council has revealed today a long list of nine options as part of the project to upgrade the major traffic artery.
County Hall is leading the feasibility study work on behalf of Highways England, ahead of a bid for funding for the scheme which it is hoped will be approved for a 2020-25 work programme by the Government.
It has released the nine routes ahead of a public consultation due to begin in mid-January to raise awareness of the project.
The nine routes represent the current thinking and may be refined before the consultation goes live.
All of the routes begin at a different place in Braintree, with some running from Galley’s Corner and some closer to the A131 junction at Great Notley – and none from the existing Marks Farm junction with the A131 to Sudbury.
At the Colchester end, none use the existing junction with the A12 at Marks Tey, with seven joining at Easthorpe while two connect even further south between Kelvedon and Rivenhall.
Only one route use part of the existing road – utilising the part of the Coggeshall bypass and the road up to Bradwell.
None of the suggested routes pass through any existing villages, though some appear to run close to Coggeshall hamlet.
Kevin Bentley, deputy leader of Essex County Council and cabinet member for economic growth, said: “A modern A120 will not only help journey times, it will also help grow local businesses not just in Essex but across East Anglia.
“It is vital we get this right so we can continue to grow the local economy and prove Essex means business.
“We are reliant on the public to get behind our vision and join in the consultation to share their views for the future of Essex and the wider road network.”
Rodney Bass, Essex county councillor and chairman of the A120 Board, added: “It is a simple fact the A120 between Braintree and Colchester is not fit for purpose.
“Upgrades to this road are long overdue and we are keen to get views from residents and business on how best to do this.
“We have spent almost a year working up route options for a the public consultation and wanted to share the most up-to-date results to get everyone motivated to take part in early 2017
“It is vital that residents and businesses from across Essex and East Anglia engage in this consultation in January to help create a modern road that is fit for purpose.”
Dual the A120 campaign
Our campaign backs calls for the road to be made dual carriageway for its entire length between Braintree and Marks Tey – so our region can have the road infrastructure it both needs and deserves.
The A120 provides a vital link between the Port of Harwich and Stansted Airport, an important east-west transport connection which is severely lacking in Essex, and which also serves as a major route from Ipswich and east Suffolk in that direction.
It is also an alternative to the A14 should that become blocked for any reason.
The need for the improvements is clear – journey times, particularly at rush hour, are far longer than they should be and any incident, no matter how minor, brings the route to a standstill. Dualling it could unlock an estimated £1.3billion for the regional economy.
What our campaign will not do is argue for any particular route proposal.
While we believe it is essential the road is improved, we have not forgotten our role in representing local communities, particularly those along the existing route or any proposed new path the A120 might take, and we will continue to put their views across.
We believe our campaign can serve to further promote the cause to government, publicise the project within our community, and help the public engage fully with the scheme so that the new A120.
Find out more about the upcoming consultation by visiting the website.
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