A12 alternative detrunking proposals

Background

Location map

The A12 is an important economic link in Essex which connects East Anglia with Greater London and is in need of improvement to address current and future challenges.

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Through its A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening Scheme, National Highways is currently progressing plans to widen and upgrade the A12 between Junction 19 (Boreham) and Junction 25 (Marks Tey) to ease congestion, improve road safety and support planned growth.

National Highways has applied for a Development Consent Order and the proposed scheme is currently undergoing the examination process. This is overseen by the Planning Inspectorate and will lead to a recommendation on whether or not the scheme should be granted consent and, if so, whether any changes should be made to the proposals.

Although Essex County Council is supportive of the A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening Scheme overall, we have significant concerns about National Highways’ current approach to two existing sections of the A12 which are planned to be detrunked and transferred to the council as the local highway authority.

This webpage outlines the current proposals and what we believe would be a better alternative.

What is National Highways proposing?

As part of the proposed A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening Scheme, new sections of the A12 would be constructed away from the existing road.

Two sections of the old A12 which remain would be detrunked and handed over to Essex County Council to adopt and maintain as local roads, largely in their current form.

These sections are between Feering and Marks Tey, and Witham and Rivenhall (as shown in blue on the map below).

We have significant concerns about this element of the proposals for a number of reasons:

• Forecast future traffic flows do not warrant dual carriageways on these sections (there would be a total of ten traffic lanes, including the proposed new three-lane A12, along these corridors).
• There would be a high probability of vehicles exceeding the speed limit because of low traffic levels, the straight alignment of the road and having an independent carriageway for each direction of traffic.
• The arrangement would represent a significant ongoing maintenance burden for the council.
• The proposals are not consistent with our placemaking agenda.
• It would be a missed opportunity to improve walking and cycling facilities and increase green infrastructure in support of local and national ambitions for net zero, biodiversity and flood control.

National Highways’ proposals: An artist impression showing a cross section of retained dual carriageway

What is Essex County Council proposing instead?

We are recommending a number of changes are made to the road before National Highways transfer the detrunked sections of the A12 to us.

We propose removing one carriageway from the existing dual carriageway and using it to create good off-road provision for active travel modes, such as walking, cycling and horse-riding.

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This would be known as an ‘Active Travel Corridor’ and would also provide space for environmental enhancements through planting and regreening. This would be achieved by breaking up redundant sections of the existing carriageway and covering them with earth/topsoil to create suitable growing conditions for different plants, with landscaping focused on developing native habitat types. Options could include mown grass, wildflower grass, native shrubs, native woodland and individual specimen trees.

An artist impression showing a cross section with one carriageway removed to create an Active Travel Corridor

The retained carriageway would be a single carriageway road, with one lane in each direction (with the exception of the stretch from Junction 22 to the proposed Rivenhall End west roundabout, where based on forecast traffic flows we believe two lanes westbound and one lane eastbound would be justified).

These proposals would create a safer and more pleasant route for people walking, cycling or horse riding, with a physical and visual buffer between the retained vehicle carriageway and the new Active Travel Corridor.

The Active Travel Corridor would include a 3.4km commuter/leisure/fitness route between Witham and Kelvedon and a 4.25km commuter/leisure/fitness route between Feering and Marks Tey.

As the Active Travel Corridor passes through the village of Rivenhall End, there are further placemaking opportunities as the corridor widens. This could potentially include the creation of a new village focal point, perhaps in the form of a community park or other form of landscaping. Any proposals for this space would need to be developed in consultation with the local community.

Concept sketch showing the indicative location of a potential new community park

Benefits of Essex County Council's alternative proposal

• The arrangement would support our Safer, Greener, Healthier principles and encouraging sustainable travel, such as walking and cycling.
• Our proposed green infrastructure landscaping for the northern section (Feering to Marks Tey) would cover an area of about 43,000m2 – the equivalent of six football pitches.
• Our proposed green infrastructure landscaping for the southern section (Witham to Rivenhall) would cover an area of about 7,000m2.
• Green infrastructure could help to offset the carbon impacts of this and other schemes.
• Potential to offer considerable biodiversity benefits.
• Minimal long-term maintenance required.
• At Rivenhall End, the proposals could better link the northern and southern sides of the road to improve community cohesion.

What can you do?

Essex County Council has set out its position on detrunking and outlined its alternative proposals as part of the DCO examination process, which started in January 2023 and will conclude in July 2023.

We believe our detrunking proposals represent a far better alternative for local communities, and if National Highways agrees to change its proposals there should be good opportunities for the community to input into the plans as they are developed.

We welcome any comments you may have on our proposals. You can email us at: a12detrunking@essexhighways.org.

In addition, residents, businesses and other interested parties can share their views on the matter with National Highways by emailing A12ChelmsfordA120wide@nationalhighways.co.uk and/or the Planning Inspectorate case team by emailing A12chelmsfordA120@planninginspectorate.gov.uk.

More information about the A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening Scheme DCO examination is available on the Planning Inspectorate website.

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