A ROW has broken out between villages along the route of a proposed new dual carriageway.The A120 is to be dualled between Braintree and Marks Tey and the favoured route of the Highways Agency (HA) is to build a brand new road skirting Tye Green, Cressing, Silver End and Feering.

A ROW has broken out between villages along the route of a proposed new dual carriageway.

The A120 is to be dualled between Braintree and Marks Tey and the favoured route of the Highways Agency (HA) is to build a brand new road skirting Tye Green, Cressing, Silver End and Feering.

But the Cressing A120 Action Group, set up to oppose the proposals, has now hit out at Bradwell villagers for supporting the HA's preferred "southern route" at a public meeting held in Bradwell.

The A120 currently goes through Bradwell, whereas the southern route is nearly two miles to the south of the village.

Bob Barrett, spokesman for Cressing A120 Action Group, said: "With all parish councils that could be affected by the southern route either stating their complete objection, or expressing serious doubts as to the benefits for the local communities should it go ahead, the message coming from the meeting was a disappointment for all action groups in the area who are trying to obtain significant traffic reductions for Bradwell rather than the limited reduction that the southern route would provide."

He added: "Residents of Bradwell probably do not welcome the intrusion of action groups from other villages on matters related to their village, this being fully understandable.

"However they must appreciate that efforts were being made by those groups to secure a better route for all of the people in the area.

"In discussions on doorsteps recently, it had become very obvious that many people are unaware of the immediate or longer term implications of the HA's preference for the southern route, and when hundreds of more houses are built, business parks are expanded, with a resultant increase in traffic, no village or hamlet in the area will be unaffected – that includes Bradwell."

Bradwell Parish Council clerk Bernard Hill said: "There are 80 houses fronting the A120 at the moment. In the last traffic count we had 23,500 vehicles a day.

"The parish council has got to look after the interests of residents of Bradwell first. Anything it can do to support the other parishes we'll certainly do, providing it doesn't compromise our own position.

"There's an overwhelming majority of Bradwell residents who support the southern route and say get on with it. That's being quite selfish, improving the quality of life for people who live in the village."

n The consultation period for the new route has been extended by four weeks and now ends on June 17. For further information contact the Highways Agency on 08457 504030, write to Highways Agency, Room 222, Heron House, 49-53 Goldington Road, Bedford, MK40 3LL, email a120braintreetomarkstey@highways.gsi.gov.uk or look on the website www.highways.gov.uk.