News releases and highways newsletters

Bakers Lane / Cottis Lane, Epping – latest news

From 3 May 2026, phase two carriageway and footway works will pause to allow essential utility works to take place within the carriageway.

RTS A133 Clingoe Hill update

Following completion of works on the A133 Clingoe Hill section of the new Colchester Rapid Transit System, we have been working to apply a ‘Traffic Regulation Order’ on the new bus lane.

A Traffic Regulation Order is a legal order required to restrict general traffic from using the lane. This is important, as to operate as intended, i.e. to ensure buses can avoid congestion on Clingoe Hill and provide passengers with improved journey times, the lane needs to be restricted to only permit bus services.

This has been completed and the bus lane is now fully operational for use by existing bus services from Monday 27th April 2026. Read full story

East Hill walking and cycling upgrade to get underway

Works to improve walking and cycling on East Hill in Colchester are set to get underway in the coming weeks.

The East Hill scheme forms part of the successful Colchester City Council led Town Deal funding bid. Providing improved walking and cycling infrastructure, the works are the first element of a wider route linking the city centre with Greenstead, the University of Essex and, ultimately, the new Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community.

Last chance to have your say on plans to reduce road deaths

Road deaths in Essex were at their highest in almost a decade last year, with 60 people losing their lives

Residents are being reminded to have their say on a new strategy aimed at reducing road deaths and serious injuries across Essex.

More than 2,000 people have already responded to the public consultation on the draft Essex Safer Speeds Strategy.

In 2025, 60 people lost their lives on Essex roads – the highest figure since 2016. Almost half of the deaths were related to speed. Hundreds more people were seriously injured.

Essex County Council has developed the new draft strategy in partnership with the Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP), which includes Essex Police.

A133 lane closures

A series of short lane closures will be in operation on the A133 over the coming days.

These will be in place between 9.30am and 3.30pm to allow the team to complete signage, kerb, and landscaping works.

The closures in place are:

Monday 20th April to Friday 24th April

Eastbound and Westbound Lane 1 closure (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday)

Eastbound and Westbound Lane 2 closure (Thursday and Friday)

Monday 27th April to Friday 1st May

Eastbound and Westbound Lane 1 closure (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday)

Eastbound and Westbound Lane 2 closure (Thursday and Friday) Read full story

Fresh look at Army and Navy improvements as £81 million project continues to progress

Walking, cycling, bus and Park and Ride improvements will encourage safer, greener and healthier travel

A new video has been shared on plans to transform the Army and Navy junction in Chelmsford.

Essex County Council has developed the planned £81 million Army and Navy Sustainable Transport Package. It includes a hamburger roundabout at the city’s Army and Navy junction.

This is a new roundabout with a road through the centre of it, which has been designed to improve traffic flows and reduce congestion at this busy junction.

There will be bus priority lanes, along with walking and cycling improvements at the junction, as well as on the approaches to the junction.

Find out more abour Dovercourt regeneration programme at drop-in event

Residents are invited to learn more about the improvements planned.

Residents and businesses can find out more about two regeneration schemes in Dovercourt at an event next month.

This follows work on the first phase of public realm improvements starting this week.

Essex County Council and Tendring District Council are jointly delivering the improvements.

Specialist highways contractor M Group Highways and civil engineering specialists Ryebridge have now been appointed.

A public drop-in information event is taking place at Harwich Library on Tuesday 14 April between 3pm and 7pm. Attendees can view the plans and ask questions.

First phase of improving sustainable transport in Harlow is now complete

The north-to-centre route will make walking, cycling and catching the bus even easier

The first phase of work to develop new public transport, walking and cycling links in Harlow is now complete.

The Sustainable Transport Corridor runs from an upgraded junction at Burnt Mill, along the A1019 to the town centre.

It features new bus lanes, safer and more pleasant walking and cycling, new public spaces, trees, signs, and lighting.

The new and improved route is the first of a group of sustainable transport corridors that will link the centre of Harlow to the rest of the town.

To find out more, visit https://www.essexhighways.org/harlow-sustainable-transport-corridors

Representatives from East Herts District Council, Epping Forest District Council, Essex County Council,  Harlow Council, Hertfordshire County Council mark the completion of the work 

Thousands of road repairs carried out in the last year as extra investment continues

Additional investment, dedicated crews, and creative innovation saw highways maintenance thrive during 2025/26

Additional investment in highway improvements has resulted in even more repairs being carried out in the last year. 

In 2025/26 Essex County Council committed to carrying out even more repairs and maintenance to keep highways, footways and structures safe.

The works delivered since April 2025, have included:

• 325 resurfacing schemes
• cleansing almost 153,000 gullies
• gritting more than 120,000 miles of road
• repairing more than 12,000 carriageway defects
• 9,300 repairs carried out through the Members Highways Initiative
• 48 schemes delivered via Local Highways Panels.

‘Electrifying Essex’ launches ahead of ambitious programme to install 5,000 electric vehicle charging points

Campaign prepares residents to switch to electric vehicles as installations begin this summer.

A new campaign called Electrifying Essex is highlighting the benefits of switching to an electric vehicle (EV) following an £8.3 million investment by Essex County Council.

The significant amount of funding will see 5,000 EV charging points installed in public spaces across the county by 2031.

It comes from the government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund following a successful bid by the county council. This marks the second largest LEVI allocation awarded to any council in the UK.

Installation of the EV charging points will begin this summer in on-street locations and public car parks throughout Essex.