Council meets business leaders to discuss cancellation of A12 widening
Businesses raise concerns over cancellation of long-planned proposal to widen road between Junctions 19 and 25.
Essex County Council has met with concerned business leaders to discuss the Government’s decision to cancel the long-awaited A12 widening scheme.
The meeting was organised by Councillor Louise McKinlay, Essex County Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities, Economic Growth and Prosperity.
Plans to improve the road secured planning consent in early 2024 and would have seen the road expanded to three-lanes between Junctions 19 and 25. However, on 8 July, the Government announced the scheme would no longer go ahead.
With the support of businesses and partners from across Essex, the council continues to argue that the scheme is essential to both Essex’s economic growth ambitions and the county’s planned housing growth.
In support, the Greater Essex Business Board (GEBB) has written to the Secretary of State for Transport to express its disappointment with the decision.
Its letter outlines how without the improvements, journey times along the A12 will continue to deteriorate, impacting productivity and holding back investment.
It also raises the negative impact of the decision on the A120 upgrade, a route which is needed to provide a critical east-west link between areas of high unemployment, such as Tendring, and high job growth zones, including London Stansted Airport.
Taking place at logistics firm Simarco’s headquarters in Witham, the meeting included representatives of businesses on GEBB, as well as the Essex Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
Councillor McKinlay said: “Businesses in Essex are understandably hugely concerned about the Government’s short sighted decision to cancel the desperately needed A12 widening scheme.
“The scheme is absolutely essential to support the ambitious economic growth aspirations and plans that we have in Essex.
“The Government must review this decision to avoid stunting Essex’s growth and holding back our county from achieving its true economic potential.
“Alongside businesses, I will continue lobbying the Government to ensure Essex receives the infrastructure investment it needs to support housing, employment, and economic development.”
The scheme’s cancellation also threatens to derail planned housing growth across the county. It places uncertainty on major housing developments and Local Plans across Braintree, Chelmsford, Colchester, Maldon and Tendring.
Tim Price, Chairman of Colchester Ambassadors, GEBB member and Operations Director of Park City Consulting, said: “While as business leaders we appreciate that funding any major infrastructure project is a challenge, to simply cancel it after planning consent was given seems very short-sited.
“Essex is a net contributor to the treasury. Council local plans and business investments and decisions have been made anticipating the A12 upgrade. Without it, the treasury is compromising the sustainability of businesses to contribute to continued growth and the ability of local councils to deliver their local plans, including housing targets.
“The simple message from business is that Government must invest in this critical A12 route, finding creative funding models. If not, they risk losing the net contribution made into the treasury by Essex, as business growth is negatively impacted.”
Trevor Scott, Managing Director of Simarco, said: “It was important to facilitate this meeting as the announcement to cancel this scheme will have a detrimental effect on the Essex economy.
“There are some very positive infrastructure projects already initiated within the county, including Harwich Freeport, Stanstead, London Gateway and Lower Thames Crossing. All of these investments will create more jobs and ultimately lead to more movements across the Essex road network.
“Without further investment, Essex will take a step back in terms of the contribution to the wider economy and business confidence will reduce, as the A12 as well as the A120 are already not fit for purpose.”