Press Releases and Highway Bulletins

Two multi-million-pounds projects – covering the North East Bypass and Beaulieu Railway Station in Chelmsford, and the A120/A133 link road and rapid transit system in Colchester and north east Essex, will help ensure growth and improve connectivity across the county, region and beyond.

Both projects were the subject of Housing Infrastructure Funds bids, supported by the County Council and City, Borough and District Councils and local MPs.

Cllr David Finch, Leader of Essex County Council, said: “We are delighted that the Government has recognised the value of these projects and confirmed we will have much needed investment to support vital infrastructure and unlock housing growth.

“The announcement is truly reflective of just how key road, rail and public transport networks are for Essex’s growth, helping create the conditions for our economy and communities to grow in a sustainable way. We are pleased that Government has recognised this with over half of the £600m HIF money being directed to Essex.

“Chelmsford and Colchester are already great places for people to live and for businesses to thrive and this funding will help grow the attraction of both places for generations to come.

“I would like to thank all those involved in preparing the bids across Essex. This investment today is an excellent demonstration of value for money for the £2m we invested to develop these bids."

The new Beaulieu railway station on the outskirts of Chelmsford will provide access to the Great Eastern Main Line, relieve crowding at Chelmsford station (the country’s busiest 2-platform station) and support the construction of thousands of new homes at Beaulieu Park and the Channels estate.

Combined with the Chelmsford North East Bypass, which will run between the A12 and A131, this will help to relieve traffic congestion on local roads, providing a strategic link between Chelmsford, Braintree, London Stansted Airport and the wider east and southeast of England, including South Essex and the Lower Thames Crossing.

Currently, there is only 4% space left on Chelmsford’s roads during the morning and evening peak periods.

North-east of Colchester, a new rapid transit system will keep the town moving by providing fast access to the centre and the railway stations, helping commuters and taking traffic off the already congested local road network.

A new road linking the A120 and A133 will also unlock land to provide up to 7,500 new homes and will improve connectivity locally and within the wider region.

This infrastructure will enable the network to be more flexible and resilient for new and existing residents, which will help Essex to continue to be an effective gateway to Europe through its ports and airports in the years to come.

In a meeting today at County Hall the Department for Transport confirmed they not only want a long-term resolution that is palatable to residents but also that they are interested in a short-term solution following the recent closure.

Cllr Kevin Bentley said: “It is my duty, to the people of Chelmsford and Essex, to accelerate the delivery of this project and ensure we find a long-term solution to the Army and Navy junction.”

Vicky Ford, Member of Parliament for Chelmsford said: “I am very pleased that the Secretary of State for Transport has told officials at a national level to urgently prioritise this project. We must design, agree and build the best possible long-term solution – which is going to take time – but the news today means that that timetable can be accelerated.”

Stephen Robinson, Leader of Chelmsford City Council said: "Essex County Council need to put in place urgent, short-term measures to address today's problems, and we all need to work together on long-term solutions to congestion issues across Chelmsford, of which the Army & Navy is just a part." 

David Allen, from Great Baddow Neighbourhood Association said: “We are glad that this is now a matter of urgency and hopefully we can all agree on a long-term solution.”

The Army and Navy Taskforce will continue to meet over the summer to work on the short-term solutions for the flyover and how to mitigate traffic congestion and disruption while the flyover remains closed. Over the next two weeks engineers will be on site doing more discovery work on whether it is safe to reopen the flyover and the public will be kept informed of these findings.

A representative from the DfT attended the latest taskforce meeting at County Hall last week, with a message that they recognised the strategic importance of the junction and the need to improve its capacity and capability to support the productivity of Chelmsford’s businesses.

The DfT also received an update on early public engagement work to model different solutions, based on community feedback. The DfT then set out their requirements before considering Government funding for junction improvements.

The taskforce then heard a summary of the workshop discussions which took place in March 2019. Local businesses, members of the public and representatives of community groups attended workshops to discuss the aims of the scheme and their aspirations for the future of the junction and flyover. The workshops helped gain a better understanding of the experience and ideas of a broad range of people in Chelmsford who rely on the Army and Navy junction and flyover every day.

Key points noted at the workshops included congestion, pollution, future growth, condition of flyover, and access issues for walking, cycling and public transport. Cllr Kevin Bentley, Essex County Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “The feedback received from the workshop attendees is invaluable to the progress of the scheme, utilising the knowledge of everyday users to develop options for a solution at the Army and Navy roundabout. This is an opportunity for representative groups and the council to work together to shape and influence the next chapter of the Army and Navy roundabout.”

Cllr Stephen Robinson, Leader of Chelmsford City Council, said: "I am delighted that the Government has acknowledged the importance of the Army and Navy junction and the need for action. But it is important to recognise that this junction is only part of the problem, and solutions need to cover the whole transport network around Chelmsford."

Vicky Ford, MP for Chelmsford, said: “The case for funding a long term solution to the Army and Navy Junction is gaining real momentum, and I am grateful to the DfT for attending the latest taskforce meeting and sharing their perspective, as well as hearing from us on how we are building a consensus across residents, businesses and local government on improving the junction for benefit of all.”

Residents, businesses, and wider organisations interested in the future of the Army and Navy roundabout and flyover are also now able to sign up to a newsletter update on progress on the scheme on the dedicated website.

For more information about the scheme, the Army and Navy Taskforce and to see the details of taskforce meetings, please visit: www.essex.gov.uk/armyandnavy

However, due to problems with ageing valves, Anglian Water engineers must return to the road to complete more work on the water main, and this work is planned to take place in August, when traffic is traditionally lighter due to families being away for the school holidays.

This will mean the A133 Ipswich Road South must close again on Monday 19th August.

This closure is scheduled to last for two weeks, but Anglian Water engineers are hoping to complete the work and open the road before the end of these two weeks.

Diversions for traffic which have been used for the past few months will remain in place during this next closure.

A spokesperson for Essex Highways said: “We apologise to anyone affected by these closures, particularly because of the unplanned nature of the further closures.

“However, we are required to accept the engineering logic of the situation of these pipes in the ground and have to adapt our road-improving widening work to the progress the utility companies are making.”

With a new Secretary of State for Transport in post, Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure has written to The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP to urgently push for a quicker decision on this vital junction and speed up investment on a solution to manage Chelmsford traffic.

The decision to close the Army and Navy flyover on 26 July followed the extremely high temperatures of the past week, which caused the base of a supporting column to shift. The flyover is now closed indefinitely, which will put additional pressure on a highways network operating at near capacity.

For over 40 years, Army and Navy Flyover has been a vital piece of infrastructure in Chelmsford even though it was originally built as a temporary structure. 60,000 vehicles use the junction each day with 10,000 passing over the flyover and most importantly, the flyover reaches 97% capacity in the morning peak and 95% in the afternoon peak. The cost of delay to the local economy at the Army and Navy roundabout is already estimated to be £4.85 million per annum and this is likely to be further exacerbated by prolonged closures such as we experienced last year and may experience again now.

The Army and Navy taskforce, established by Essex County Council in 2018, has been working hard to deliver a long-term solution to the Army and Navy junction and eight potential options have been shortlisted and engineers are undertaking detailed work including design, traffic modelling and costings.

Department for Transport official Steve Berry OBE, Head of Highways Maintenance, met the task force last month and the then Minister of State for Transport Michael Ellis MP visited the junction last week. However, following the recent damage due to the hot weather the council is demanding the suggested implementation date of 2021 for a new preferred solution is reconsidered and bought considerably forward.

Parallel Crossings enable cyclists to cross a road safely and with the same level of priority as a zebra crossing gives a pedestrian. They are designed to make cyclists’ journeys easier and more reliable, giving them priority over all traffic on the road.

Councillor Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure said: “Parallel Crossings are a key part of our efforts to grow cycling in Essex. If we are to limit congestion, keep people and local goods deliveries moving while at the same time reducing pollution, then we must promote cycling as an alternative transport. Part of that effort is making cycling more efficient and safer and therefore a more attractive option.”

There are six parallel crossings currently planned for Essex which will be built either as additions to existing zebra crossings, or as new zebra and parallel combined crossings. Several examples are already working successfully in London, Cambridge, Bournemouth and Nottingham. Just as pedestrians have priority on zebra crossings, so do cyclists on parallel crossings, which are indicated by parallel broken white lines running across the road a few yards from the zebra crossing.

Parallel crossings work the same way as zebra crossings with the cyclist slowing down and ensuring they have been seen by approaching traffic before attempting to cross the road once the traffic has slowed and stopped for them.

Essex County Council has worked with the Essex Association of Local Councils (EALC) to launch a pilot scheme, open to Parish and Town Councils in Essex, where certain off-highway highways maintenance activities are being devolved to the local Parish Council to deliver.

The local County Member, Ann Brown, is scheduled to join Cllr Bentley with Colchester Borough Councillors Lewis Barber, Dennis Willetts and Brian Jarvis.

They are set to be joined by EALC Chairman Cllr Peter Davey and EALC Vice-Chairman Cllr John Gili-Ross along with EALC, Chief Executive Officer, Joy Darby. The Chairman of West Bergholt Parish Council Chris Stevenson is also set to attend, along with other West Bergholt Parish Councillors.

The launch will take place at St Mary's Church Hall, St Mary the Virgin Church, 34 New Church Rd, West Bergholt, Colchester CO6 3JE at 3.30pm on Friday 14th June.

If the weather is suitable, there will be an outside photo/interview opportunity five minutes’ walk away from St Mary’s Church Hall, gathered around the Village Sign, at the junction of Chapel Rd with Colchester Rd, West Bergholt. If the weather is wet, a photo call will be held in the Church Hall.

Focused on lower-level works such as verge and vegetation work, traffic sign maintenance and minor footway repairs, the scheme will allow local councils to improve the street scene quicker than the County Council can.

This will in turn enable the County Council to prioritise the larger, more complex highways work such as road surfacing, that has a wider impact.

Councillor Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “Devolution is very important to us at Essex County Council. This pilot, which we are supporting with funding, is about getting decision-making as close to the public as we can for works which are important locally, but not of a top priority for the county as a whole.

“Through the Parish and Town Councils taking part in this pilot, residents can help decide which highways work they want to prioritise to make their area look and feel better.” Peter Davey, Chairman of the Essex Association of Local Councils, said: “The EALC exists to forge and foster partnership-led, informed support for the local councils of Essex, so they can improve their residents and businesses’ economic, social and recreational life.

“This pilot offers a good example of joint-working in an innovative way, with each party using their particular strengths to improve the great county we live in. We are pleased to see Parishes and Towns sign up and will continue to whole-heartedly support the pilot as it develops.”

Chris Stevenson, Chairman of West Bergholt Parish Council, said: “West Bergholt Parish Council is delighted to be a member of the Highways Devolution Pilot and given the opportunity for local people to set the priorities for highway related small works. Since joining the pilot, residents have seen small but important projects implemented both quickly and efficiently by their village handymen and warden.

“We look forward to increasing the number of projects to be undertaken and further strengthening the collaborative relationship between ECC, the EALC and Parish Councils, working together to improve village and community wellbeing."

Funding is available to provide improvements for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists along the A134 Southway corridor and St Botolph’s Circus, which is located on the A134 Southway in central Colchester, at its junction with St Botolph’s Street, Mersea Road and Magdalen Street.

The junction experiences significant congestion, especially during peak hours, with average vehicle speeds below 50 per cent of those during off-peak times when traffic is free flowing.

In addition, pedestrians currently navigate the roundabout via an underpass, which is often the scene for anti-social behaviour.

Essex Highways has launched a six-week engagement period to share the proposals with the public and gather feedback that will inform the design as it progresses. A public information drop-in session will be held at Colchester Town Hall between 2pm and 7pm on Tuesday, 2 July 2019, where people can discuss the proposals with the project team. Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “Improving St Botolph’s Circus will make a real difference to journeys in Colchester so we must seize this opportunity to address the issues currently experienced every day.

“I urge users of Colchester’s network to engage with the scheme and have their say on the proposals put forward.”

Key components of the proposals include altering the size and shape of the island in the middle of the roundabout, changing the junction at the entrance to Colchester Magistrates’ Court and Colchester Town station, and infilling the roundabout and subways, providing at-grade crossings for pedestrians and cyclists instead.

The proposed changes will look to significantly enhance capacity, improve congestion and safety and upgrade the aesthetics of the area.

The improvements will also create an area from which to build up future improvements in conjunction with other upgrades to Colchester town centre if and when further funding is available.

For more information and to share your views on the proposals, visit www.essex.gov.uk/stbotolphs.