If you want to send your response form against the proposed changes, you can do so online or send your form through the post.
Please share your views by completing your response form before 11.59pm on Monday 16 August 2021.
From Highways England:
We want to better understand your views about the proposals for the A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening.
The A12 is an important economic link in Essex and across the east of England. It provides the main south-west/north-east route through Essex and Suffolk, connecting Ipswich to London and the M25.
The section between Chelmsford and Colchester (junction 19 Boreham Interchange to junction 25 Marks Tey Interchange) carries high volumes of traffic, with up to 90,000 vehicles every day. Heavy Goods Vehicles are between 9% and 12% of the traffic on this section due to its important freight connection, especially to Felixstowe and Harwich ports. This section of the A12 is also an important commuter route between Chelmsford and Colchester. The resulting congestion leads to delays and means that, during the morning commute, a driver’s average speed is particularly slow in both directions for a dual carriageway A-road of its kind.
Our proposed changes to this stretch of the A12 road will:
improve safety for road users, especially at the junctions and slip roads through better design, as well as by removing the current direct private accesses onto the A12
reduce traffic congestion by increasing the capacity of the road, making journey times more reliable. The proposed scheme will save motorists as much as 1.5 hours in a working week if they travel daily between junctions 19 and 25
take long-distance traffic off the local roads and put it back onto the A12 where it belongs, so that local roads aren’t used as ‘rat runs’, affecting local villages and their communities
ensure that the road can cope with the predicted increase in traffic from more jobs and homes in the area
make improvements for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and public transport users, to give them better connections and safer, more enjoyable journeys
Please share your views with us by completing this response form before 11.59pm on Monday 16 August 2021 at which time the consultation closes so please ensure your comments arrive with us in time to allow us to analyse and consider your feedback.