Press Releases and Highways Highlights

Ipswich Road South to reopen later this week

Ipswich Road (south) in Colchester will be reopened this week ahead of schedule.

Essex Highways are now preparing to get the road reinstated and reopened to traffic.

Workers will have to return in the future to complete the wall strengthening and planners are looking at how to minimise any future impact.

Essex Highways are proactively opening the road this week, planned for Thursday morning, and further updates will be provided in due course as we know more.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “By opening Ipswich Road (south) this week it will benefit local residents and businesses. Please continue to support our brilliant local businesses who are open as usual.”

"We will continue to explore every possible way to minimise the impact of the works and reduce the traffic management cones and barriers."

In 2012, Essex County Council entered into partnership with Ringway Jacobs to upkeep and maintain its Highways division, looking after the 5,000 miles of roads, 4,000 miles of pavements, 4,000 miles of public rights of way, 127,000 streetlights and 1,500 highways structures such as bridges.

The recommendation points to the unrivalled industry expertise, internal buying power and technical excellence of parent companies Eurovia UK and Jacobs in improving roads, footways and highways infrastructure, as well as providing value for money.

The contract was initially signed for 10 years to 2022 and contained an option for Councillors to extend the contract for a further five years if desired.

Since 2012, the Essex Highways partnership between the County Council and Ringway Jacobs has delivered;

• 2,002 miles of road re-surfacing,
• 15,000 miles of roads inspected each year,
• an average of 37,000 street lighting defects dealt with each year,
• an average of 70 miles of pavements surfaced each year,
• an average of 100,000 drains, keeping roads free from excess rainwater, cleaned each year,
• an ongoing LED streetlight and illuminated signs conversion programme, and:
• over 51,000 people following updates from the Essex traffic control centre.

Papers also highlight recent benchmarking against the wider market, which revealed work including road surfacing, pavement repair and maintenance and drain clearing work delivered by Ringway Jacobs for Essex Highways was significantly cheaper than alternatives across a range of activity.

Having continuously met performance and efficiency targets, the partnership has also been recognised by the British Standards Institute, achieving BS11000 collaborative business relationship accreditation in 2014.

The Council’s Cabinet will be asked to approve the take up of an option to extend the contract for another five years, allowing investment in the network of approximately £700m over that time period.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “This is a healthy, robust working partnership, which is rigorously monitored.

“It is delivering improvement to the roads, pavements and cycleways of Essex and it is delivering savings to the taxpayers of Essex.

“I look forward to discussing the extension of the contract with my cabinet colleagues.”

Site set-up and preparation works have already been taking place throughout this week in readiness for the arrival of a 100-tonne crane on Monday night, ahead of the first lift of one of the structure’s spans the following evening.

The steel and concrete structure will be removed section by section and transported away for dismantling and recycling. Due to the heavy equipment needed to carry out the works, temporary lane restrictions and road closures will be in place at various stages.

The majority of the works will be carried out overnight between the hours of 9.30pm and 5.30am, Monday to Friday, to minimise disruption. However, some Sunday daytime working will be required later in the programme, with works expected to be completed in April.

In the meantime, Essex County Council is continuing to develop a long-term solution for the junction and the removal of the flyover is an important step.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, was joined by members of the Army and Navy Task Force and dignitaries today to mark the start of the milestone project.
He said: “The flyover has been a well-known feature of the Chelmsford skyline for more than 40 years and its removal is a historic milestone for the city.

“The Army and Navy is a crucial gateway to Chelmsford and removing the flyover is an important step as we seek to make long-term improvements to the junction and create a lasting and sustainable legacy.

“With Chelmsford continuing to grow, other roads in the city centre already near capacity and a lack of space, we must encourage more people to think differently about how they travel, particularly for shorter journeys which are currently made by car.

“The Department for Transport has already emphasised the importance of sustainable transport in any final scheme and this will be critical, alongside any junction improvements.

“We understand people want a solution as quickly as possible and steps are being taken to speed things up wherever we can, however we must also follow Government processes and ensure we achieve the right scheme for Chelmsford.”

The council is carefully monitoring the weather forecast and the potential impact of Storm Dennis as windy conditions could impact the use of the crane and the wider works programme.

For the latest information about the works, including details about proposed traffic restrictions, visit the ‘A1060/A1114 Army and Navy Flyover’ page.

For further information about the long term solution for the Army and Navy junction and to sign up for the project email newsletter, visit: www.essex.gov.uk/armyandnavy.

Delivering the strategically important new access from the M11, the works will see a new junction and link road created, connecting the motorway with Gilden Way, east of Harlow, and creating a new east-west link through the town, helping boost the local economy.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “This is a critically important piece of new infrastructure which we have been working with partners for a number of years to help make a reality.

“This new junction will not only be a boost to the thousands of people who are travelling into and out of Harlow on a daily basis through alleviating some of the congestion issues in the town, but offers new public transport opportunities and will help further unlock the economic potential of Harlow through supporting business growth in the area.”

Harlow MP Robert Halfon added: "I would like to thank Essex County Council and Cllr Bentley for all the hard work they have put in to deliver Junction 7A. This is a major project that will greatly reduce the traffic burden on Harlow residents.

"I worked hard for many years in Parliament in order to persuade the Government to invest in the junction and I am extremely grateful to the former Transport Secretary for authorising it.

"This is yet more proof that the Government are investing in Harlow. With our new hospital, new road junction, the £600m move of Public Health England to Harlow, our Enterprise zone and the up to £25m to regenerate our town - we are building an even better Harlow."

Funded through Highways England, the Department for Transport, Essex County Council and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership, the scheme is located between Junctions 7 and 8 of the M11. It will see the existing B183 widened, creating an additional lane heading westbound and providing two lanes to the existing London Road Roundabout which links to the A414. This will be supported by the conversion of the existing Churchgate Roundabout on the B183 into a ‘hamburger’ style arrangement with traffic lights installed and the existing local road network connected via the creation of a new Campions Roundabout.

The project follows last year’s works in Gilden Way which saw existing utilities diverted, enabling the main works to be undertaken.

Newly appointed contractor GRAHAM will now begin the detailed design work with its design partner AECOM, ahead of beginning full construction.

On the award of the contract, Stephen Hand, Pre-Construction Director of the GRAHAM Civil Engineering division, said: “We’re pleased to have been awarded this hugely beneficial highways scheme by Essex County Council which is the latest in our growing portfolio of highway improvement schemes.

“The project will reduce congestion and improve access to Harlow’s road network, creating economic growth and improving connectivity for residents, businesses, and visitors to Harlow.”

Julie Crawford, Regional Delivery Director (East) for Highways England, added: “Highways England is pleased to be supporting these plans to build an additional junction on the M11 at Harlow. We are confident that, once delivered, this new junction will contribute towards improving safety and reducing congestion, two of Highways England’s top priorities.”

Construction is expected to commence on Gilden Way/Sheering Road in late spring 2020, with works on the motorway junction and link road likely to start in summer/autumn 2020.

The new junction is planned to open in 2022.

For more information, visit www.essex.gov.uk/junction7a

The project will begin on Monday 10 February, with the majority of the works being carried out overnight between the hours of 9.30pm and 5.30am, Monday to Friday, to minimise disruption. However, some Sunday daytime working will be required later in the programme.

The steel structure will be removed section by section and transported away for dismantling and recycling.  Due to the heavy equipment needed to carry out the works, temporary lane restrictions and road closures will be in place at various stages.

During February the following carriageway restrictions are expected to apply between 9.30pm and 5.30am, however road users are encouraged to check signage as arrangements may change at short notice:

• Week commencing Monday 10 February:
• Daytime working with no carriageway restrictions

• From Tuesday 18 February onwards as required (Monday to Friday):
• Overnight lane restrictions reducing the carriageway to one lane on the roundabout and approaches/exits.

• Nights of Monday 24 February and Tuesday 25 February:
• Full closure of A1114 Essex Yeomanry Way in both directions
• Baddow Road closed outbound (travelling away from roundabout)
• A138 Chelmer Road closed inbound (travelling towards roundabout/city)

• Nights of Wednesday 26, Thursday 27, Friday 28 February and Monday 2, Tuesday 3 March:
• Full closure of A1114 Essex Yeomanry Way in both directions

During any planned road closures, appropriate diversions will be in place suited to all vehicles. Pedestrian access will be maintained in the area throughout the works, which are expected to be completed in April 2020.

Essex County Council is continuing to develop a long-term solution for the junction and is now close to completing a Strategic Outline Business Case – an important milestone in accessing Department for Transport (DfT) funding for the scheme.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “The Army and Navy flyover has been a well-known feature of the Chelmsford skyline for 40 years and its removal will be a historic milestone for the city.

“Of course, we recognise that the works will cause some disruption and, together with the contractor, Clarke Demolition Company Limited, we will be doing everything possible to minimise any inconvenience caused.

“The Army and Navy is a crucial gateway to Chelmsford and we are also continuing to assess potential options for a long-term solution at the junction.

“We understand people want a solution as quickly as possible and steps are being taken to speed things up wherever we can, however we must also follow Government processes and ensure we achieve the best scheme for Chelmsford.”

For more information about the arrangements in place to dismantle the Army and Navy flyover, including latest details on proposed traffic restrictions, visit: www.essex.gov.uk/highwayschemes and search: ‘A1060/A1114 Army and Navy Flyover’.

For further details about the long term solution for the Army and Navy junction and to sign up for the project email newsletter, visit: www.essex.gov.uk/armyandnavy

Roadside tests have shown that a section of the A127 between east and west Basildon exceeds national air quality safe limits for nitrogen dioxide.

To reduce exhaust emissions and improve air quality, Essex County Council is reducing the speed limit from national speed limit to 50mph on the A127.

The new limit will be in place on both carriageways between the existing 40mph speed limit near the Fortune of War roundabout and approximately 470m east of the Pound Lane (westbound) and Cranfield Park Road (eastbound) junctions.

Vehicles’ engines work more efficiently at about 50mph and lowering speeds from 70mph to 50mph can reduce harmful nitrogen oxide emissions from car exhausts by up to 20 per cent.

Overnight works to introduce the new limit, which include replacing road signs and installing average speed cameras, are scheduled to start on Monday 27 January and planned to take approximately six weeks.

Temporary lane restrictions will be in place between 9pm and 5am to enable crews to work safely at the roadside, with traffic reduced to one lane overnight.

Some individual road closures will also be required in order to calibrate average speed cameras, and signed diversion routes will be provided.

Details of the road closures are still being finalised and information will be available online shortly at: www.essexhighways.org/highway-schemes-and-developments/highway-schemes/a127-basildon-air-quality.aspx.

The new 50mph speed limit will come into force as soon as the works commence on Monday 27 January.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Essex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “Reducing potentially harmful vehicle emissions is vitally important, not only in protecting the environment, but also for the health of our residents.

“Air quality is linked to a number of health problems and is estimated to cost the UK about than £20billion every year.

“By lowering the speed limit, we can reduce vehicle emissions on this stretch of the A127 and bring air quality to safe levels by 2021, as well as improving road safety and journey time reliability.

“We all have a part to play in protecting the planet and, where possible, I would also encourage people to consider swapping some car journeys for more sustainable travel such as walking, cycling or using public transport.”

Leader of Basildon Council, Councillor Gavin Callaghan said: “The quality of air in our borough is of great concern to all of us. A reduction of the speed limit to 50mph is a key step in bringing a substantial improvement to the air quality in this area. However, if a charging clean air zone was imposed in Basildon it would serve only to damage our businesses and livelihoods and push the problem to other areas like the Basildon stretch of the A13.

“Many of our local businesses are already demonstrating their commitment to improving air quality by altering deliveries to times outside of rush hour and replacing their fleets with hybrid and Euro 6 compliant vehicles.”

For more information about the project, please visit www.essex.gov.uk/airquality.

Essex County Council announced in September that the flyover in Chelmsford would be permanently closed on safety grounds after a detailed engineering report revealed new defects within its concrete foundations.

The council has since been pressing ahead with plans to have the structure removed as soon as possible while work is also continuing to develop a long-term solution for the junction.

Clarke Demolition Company Limited has now been appointed to carry out the flyover removal, with the works expected to begin in early February.

The steel structure will be safely dismantled section by section, removed from the site and, where possible, recycled. It is anticipated that the majority of the works will take place at night to minimise disruption, although some Sunday closures will be required.

The project is expected to be completed in April 2020, with further details about the works schedule to be confirmed shortly.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “I am delighted to be working with Clarke Demolition on this important project and look forward to works starting in February.

“The Army and Navy flyover has been a well-known feature of the Chelmsford skyline for 40 years and its removal will be a historic milestone for the city. Of course, we recognise that the works will cause some disruption and, together with the contractor, we will be doing everything possible to minimise any inconvenience caused.

“The Army and Navy is a crucial gateway to Chelmsford and we are also continuing to assess potential options for a long-term solution at the junction.

“Steps are already being taken to reduce the programme, however we must also ensure we get it right so that any improvements encourage more sustainable travel and avoid putting additional pressure on other roads in the city centre.”

David Clarke, Managing Director of Clarke Demolition Company Limited, added: “We are delighted to be involved with the removal of this local landmark.

“Having also removed the old viaduct over the River Chelmer in 2016, it is a matter of great pride to have the opportunity once again to continue helping with the improvements being made in the region.“We will work as safely and quickly as possible, out of normal working hours to minimise any disruption to the public.”

For more information about the project and to subscribe to the Army and Navy e-newsletter, please visit: www.essex.gov.uk/armyandnavy.

To help support the city’s residents and businesses, a special £5 group offer remains available throughout the winter at both the Sandon and Chelmer Valley Park and Rides. For more information, visit www.essex.gov.uk/parkandride.

David Leavy, 67, was given the unusual gift by daughter Dawn Tyler after she wrote to Essex County Council having heard that the flyover was soon to be removed, ahead of a new long-term solution at the junction.

The flyover has special significance to the family after Mr Leavy’s heart stopped while he was driving over it in February 2010 and his car came to rest on the roundabout.

Thankfully he survived and had a pacemaker fitted at Broomfield Hospital, with the episode revealing he had a previously undiagnosed heart condition.

Mrs Tyler said: “Dad’s life changed dramatically after that and it was a lucky escape in many ways.

“He retired within a year or so and it just made him really think about the things that are most important in life.

“When we saw the flyover had closed and was due to be taken down, we thought it would be a great idea to try and get him a small piece of it.”

The piece of the flyover that was given to the family – a small core from one of the trestle bases – was removed during repair works last year.

Mrs Tyler added: “We got a box frame to present it in and gave it to him on Christmas Day.

“He loved it and I am eternally grateful to Essex County Council for making it all happen.”

The permanent closure of the Army and Navy flyover was announced in September on safety grounds following the recommendation of a detailed engineering report. Signage on the approaches to the flyover has already been removed and main works to dismantle the structure are expected to take place early in the new year.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “The Army and Navy flyover has been a well-known feature of the Chelmsford skyline for 40 years and its removal will be a historic milestone for the city.

“I was very interested to hear about the special significance of the flyover to Mr Leavy and pleased we were be able to give him his own small piece of Chelmsford’s history.

“It is certainly one of the more unusual Christmas gifts I have ever heard of, but I am very pleased to hear it put a smile on his face.

“With the flyover due to be removed very soon, we are continuing to assess potential options for a long-term solution at this crucial junction.

“Steps are already being taken to reduce the programme wherever possible and we will progress the project as quickly as we can. However, we must also ensure we get it right and any improvements encourage more sustainable travel and avoid putting additional pressure on other roads in the city centre.”

For more information about the project and to sign up for the Army and Navy email newsletter, please visit: www.essex.gov.uk/armyandnavy.

Many people are out celebrating late on both Christmas Eve into Christmas morning and again on New Year’s Eve into New Year’s Day.

Essex County Council recognises this and will be keeping all its streetlights on all night for these two nights.

Normally all town centre streetlights are on all night, but streetlights in most residential areas are part-night lights, switched off between 1am and 5am to save power and CO2 emissions, cut down on light pollution and save taxpayers’ money.

Councillor Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “We recognise this time of year often involves journeys later at night than during the rest of the year, so it seems sensible to make an exception by putting the lights on throughout these two nights.”

“I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all Essex residents a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.”

Across Essex there are a number of street lights that illuminate the same area; often this duplication has happened when a new development has installed street lights which were then adopted by the Council and in one or two cases then overlap with existing illumination.

Essex County Council now plans to switch off the small proportion of identified duplicates – working with district and borough councils in the process.

Cllr Bentley said: “Our move will not greatly reduce light or affect safety. It means that we will not be burning lights that are unnecessary and ensures we are doing all we can to reduce carbon emissions, helping with our climate change work. Each county councillor will be notified of lights to be switched off before we do so, in case there are any particular circumstances they are aware of. Safety will not be compromised.”

The proposal is to do a detailed “desktop” mapping exercise and then follow this up with on-site investigations of each light which has been identified as possibly duplicate. Only where the light is found to be lighting the same area as another street light, and where there are no safety concerns, will that light be switched off. Signs will be put on switched-off lights, so people do not report them as being faulty.

A pilot project has been mapped out where we have identified 36 potentially duplicate lights out of a total of 2260 in the area for potential switch-off. This is approximately 1.5% of lights estimated as duplicates. If the same ratio is consistent across Essex, then about 2,000 lights out of 127,000 ECC lights in total could be turned off.

Essex Highways employs 8 ex-Regulars and 4 Reservists and under the Armed Forces Covenant will look to offer other opportunities to former members of the armed forces. Nationally Ringway Jacobs employs 22 ex-Regular armed forces personnel, 8 people in the Reserves and a Cadet Force adult volunteer.

Councillor Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “Essex County Council has a long history of close mutual support to our Armed Forces, particularly given the important Army bases in Essex. We are proud to employ both serving and former service personnel at the Council. I am pleased that Ringway Jacobs have won this award for their work through the Armed Forces Covenant, which supports the Council approach.”

Mike O’Neill, Ringway Jacobs’ Managing Director, said: “We are absolutely thrilled that we have achieved the Silver Award. Ringway Jacobs supports the Armed Forces Covenant because we believe that morally it is the right thing to do.

“From a business perspective, we are a ‘values-based organisation’, and we see the armed forces as an excellent source of people with strong personal values as part of their DNA and transferable skills.

“I live in Essex and our Head Office is in Essex, so I am pleased we have so many people with a Services background working in Essex Highways.”

People in Essex will soon see Essex Highways vehicles with the Armed Forces Covenant Silver Award logo proudly displayed on them.

As well as a commitment to employing and developing ex-Regular armed forces personnel, Ringway Jacobs employs reservist members of the armed forces and offers reservists extra leave for their military commitments.

Essex County Council announced in September that the flyover in Chelmsford would be permanently closed after a detailed engineering report revealed new defects within its concrete foundations.

The council is now seeking to have the structure removed as soon as possible and is also continuing to work on a long-term solution to ease congestion and delays at the junction.

Preliminary works, including the removal of automated signs on the A1114 Essex Yeomanry Way and A1016 Parkway approaches, digging of trial holes and removal of kerbs, were carried out overnight last week and completed a week ahead of schedule.

The works took place at night to minimise disruption.

The council has received formal bids from a number of specialist contractors for the main works to dismantle the flyover structure and is now in the process of evaluating them. The works are expected to begin early in the new year.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “I am pleased we are continuing to make very good progress with the planned removal of the flyover and preliminary works were able to be completed a week ahead of schedule.

“I would like to thank residents, businesses and drivers for their patience while overnight lane restrictions were in place at the junction last week.

“The tender deadline for the main removal works has now passed and we are in the process of evaluating the bids before awarding a contract.

“In the meantime, we are continuing to assess potential options for a long-term solution at the junction, which is a crucial gateway to Chelmsford.

“Steps are already being taken to reduce the programme and we will progress the project as quickly as possible, including exploring any opportunities to bring forward elements of the chosen option sooner. 

“However, we must also ensure we get it right so that any improvements encourage more sustainable travel and avoid putting additional pressure on other roads in the city centre.”

For more information about the project and to subscribe to the Army and Navy e-newsletter, please visit: www.essex.gov.uk/armyandnavy.

To help support the city’s residents and businesses in the lead up to the busy Christmas period, Sandon Park and Ride will be open for three consecutive Sundays from this weekend, with tickets priced at £1.50 for adults and £1 for children. A special £5 group offer is also available throughout the winter at both the Sandon and Chelmer Valley Park and Rides.

For more information, visit www.essex.gov.uk/parkandride.

The Sunday service, which is being funded by Essex County Council, Chelmsford City Council and One Chelmsford, will run from 9.30am until 5pm on three successive Sundays on 8, 15 and 22 December at the Sandon Park and Ride site. Tickets will be priced at £1.50 for adults and £1 for children.

The boost comes as preliminary works got underway last night (Monday 25 November) ahead of the removal of the Army and Navy flyover in the new year.

The works, which will be completed overnight between 8pm and 5.30am, will include the removal of the automated flyover signs on the A1114 Essex Yeomanry Way and A1016 Parkway approaches to the junction. They are scheduled to be completed on Saturday 7 December, with the dismantling of the flyover structure itself expected to start in late January 2020.

To help minimise congestion and delays at the junction over the busy Christmas and New Year period, the council is encouraging people to consider switching to other modes of transport such as buses, bikes or walking, where possible.

As well as the Sunday service, a special all-day group ticket offer is available throughout this winter for the city’s Park and Ride services at both Sandon and Chelmer Valley, allowing up to two adults and three children to travel for just £5.

First Essex has also introduced a special Chelmsford City Centre Zone fare, enabling discounted single and return bus travel within the designated zone. Adult tickets are £1 for a single or £1.50 for a return and child tickets are 70p for a single or £1 for a return.

Weekly tickets are available for the wider Chelmsford fare zone for the equivalent of just £2.70 a day. Further information can be found at: www.firstgroup.com/essex/tickets/ticket-types/chelmsford-city.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Essex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “We all know what a busy time of year winter can be, particularly as we get closer to the Christmas and New Year period.

“The Army and Navy is a crucial gateway to the city of Chelmsford and we are working incredibly hard on options for a long-term solution at the junction, as well as further measures to manage congestion and delays in the interim.

“We can all play our part by avoiding travelling at peak times and switching to alternative transport, wherever possible.

“With good offers available on Park and Ride and bus services, whether you’re commuting, Christmas shopping or visiting family and friends, you can take the hassle out of your journey and help keep Chelmsford moving this winter.

“The city centre road network is already at 96 per cent capacity in peak periods and more sustainable travel is vital, not only now, but to enable Chelmsford to grow and flourish in the future.”

More information about travel options in Essex, including car sharing, Park and Ride services, walking and cycle routes, and bus services, is available at: www.essex.gov.uk/travelplanning.

Five initial options for a long-term solution at the Army and Navy junction were shared with the public for the first time earlier this month and a public information brochure can be found online at: www.essex.gov.uk/armyandnavy.

Street lighting engineers from the County Council will start switching the lights control system back to all night from today (Friday 8 November), a process that make take a few days, with the first streets lit throughout the night from tonight.

The councils have now agreed have all-night lighting throughout Basildon until March 2020, with the intention to agree in February 2020 to four years’ further payments to keep the lights on all night until March 2024. The annual cost initially will be approximately £275,000, however this cost should come down by as much as 40% once the borough’s lights are upgraded to more cost effective and efficient LED lights – work that is scheduled to done by Essex County Council in 2020/21.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “I am delighted to have worked together with Basildon colleagues to introduce all-night street lighting in the borough. This is yet another example of how a devolved approach to street lighting across Essex is realising real benefits for local people faster and follows the success we’ve already seen in Harlow and Epping Forest. I look forward to continuing our work with district and borough councils so that we can continue to address the areas that matter most to residents.”

Councillor Aidan McGurran, Chair of Basildon’s External Affairs, Partnerships and Liaison Committee, said: “This deal is great news for the borough. Lighting our streets at night is a huge issue for our residents and they have told us this in no uncertain terms time and time again and we have responded by taking the action needed to get this done.

“Street lights make us all feel safer and give people, such as the many shift workers who need to be out and about during night-time, the reassurance they need.”

Streetlights outside city and town centres and busy junctions in Essex are currently switched off between 1am and 5am, known as “part-night lighting”. This makes up about 70 per cent of the 129,000 lights managed by the County Council. The part-night policy was introduced to save money, energy, carbon emissions and prevent light pollution.

Basildon Council now joins Harlow, which decided to pay to have all-night lights throughout the district in 2015, and Epping Forest, where lights remain on all night in the areas around London Underground stations.

Essex Highways will continue to be responsible for maintaining the lights as before and any faults should continue to be reported online at www.essex.gov.uk/highways

The infrastructure plans, will make it easier for traffic to flow on to the A120 and A12, and offer alternative travel options for those travelling across the town.

Cllr David Finch, Leader of Essex County Council said: “Colchester has seen rapid growth over the past decade, both in terms of meeting its housing needs, but also its thriving economy.

“As this growth continues, with a new community proposed for the east of Colchester, it is critical that an infrastructure-led approach is taken, helping manage traffic; working to better connect the town and reducing the reliance on the car through encouraging more sustainable means of travel.”

Half of journeys coming out of Tendring currently head into Colchester and, alongside future traffic generated by the new community proposed to the east of the town, the Link Road, will make it easier for drivers to access strategic roads like the A120 and A12, reducing the reliance on the more local roads. Alongside this, an RTS will bring together key parts of the town, offering a dedicated public transport route, enabling people to move quickly around Colchester without having to use their car.

The consultation, which runs until the 16th December, looks at high level route options for both schemes ahead of more detailed design.

Cllr Finch added: “This new infrastructure is dependent on the Borough/District Council Local Plan process which sets out where future housing and business growth should be located. Their plan needs to be approved by the Planning Inspector, but it is critical that we look at preparing for this by setting out how the transport network will be evolved to meet future growth.

“Both the Link Road and RTS system have differing route alignment options, and within this consultation it is important to get views on these. Local people and businesses are best placed to tell us what does and doesn’t work in terms of the journeys they make, and their insight on the various options will allow our engineers and designers to take forward and evolve the plans.”

For more information on the consultation and dates of drop-in sessions visit www.essex.gov.uk/link-road-and-rapid-transit

The announcement came following a question by Vicky Ford, MP for Chelmsford, in the House of Commons. George Freeman MP, Transport Minister, acknowledged the severity of the issue and vowed to work with the council on a solution.

He said: “This has been a very serious, emergency situation, causing huge congestion in that part of the world, and we are determined to ensure that we get the solution right.

“That means not necessarily rebuilding what was there before but getting a proper state-of-the-art solution.”

The Government’s support has been welcomed by Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure.

He said: “We are working very hard to identify the best solution for the Army and Navy and the Government’s backing is a massive boost.

“The junction is a crucial gateway to Chelmsford and we want provide a long-term and sustainable solution that is an asset to the city.

“Steps are already being taken to reduce the programme wherever we can and we will continue to progress the project as quickly as possible, including exploring any opportunities to bring forward elements of the final solution sooner. However, there are legal, planning and central government processes to follow and we must also ensure we get it right so that any improvements encourage more sustainable travel and avoid putting additional pressure on other roads in the city centre.

“I am delighted that the Minister is in agreement and has committed to working with us on this vital scheme. I hope the Department for Transport will now support us in identifying and securing the funding needed to take the project forward.

“In the meantime, I will continue to work closely with the local MP, city and parish councillors, and local residents, including Great Baddow East Neighbourhood Association, to move things forward as quickly as possible.”
Vicky Ford, MP for Chelmsford, said: “The permanent closure of the Army and Navy flyover has created a transport emergency across Chelmsford and mid Essex. It’s crucial that we deliver a long-term solution to relieve the serious congestion at the Army and Navy junction and across Chelmsford. I have been fighting for better infrastructure for Chelmsford since my first day as Member of Parliament. I will continue to fight for a solution to our transport crisis to be delivered at the fastest possible pace and will use every opportunity to keep this crucial issue at the very top of the Government’s agenda.”

Drivers using the junction in Chelmsford regularly experience delays and congestion, and the need for a long-term solution has been highlighted further by the permanent closure of the flyover in September on safety grounds.

Essex County Council is already pressing ahead with plans to remove the flyover and is also continuing to assess potential solutions to improve the junction, with initial options set to be shared with the public this autumn.

For the latest news on the Army and Navy junction and to sign up for the scheme email newsletter, please visit www.essex.gov.uk/armyandnavy.

Several specialist contractors have already expressed an interest in removing the flyover in Chelmsford and they will be encouraged to firm up that interest when the tender documents go out next month.

Essex County Council announced in September that the flyover would be permanently closed after a detailed engineering report revealed new defects within its concrete foundations.

The council is now seeking to have the structure removed as soon as possible and is also continuing to work on a long-term solution to ease congestion and delays at the junction.

Initial options for the junction will be shared with the public for the first time this autumn. A full public consultation on a revised shortlist of options will follow later once detailed testing and modelling has been completed.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “The Army and Navy is a crucial gateway to Chelmsford and, together with the support of the Army and Navy Taskforce, we are working incredibly hard on options for a long-term solution.

“In the meantime, we are looking to remove the flyover and have already had a strong response from companies interested in the demolition. I am pleased they will soon be able to formally bid for the work.

“I would like to assure people that we are doing everything we can to progress as quickly as possible with both the removal of the flyover and the development of potential long-term improvements at the junction.

“However, we must also ensure we get it right and provide a sustainable solution that is an asset to the city which does not put additional pressure on other roads in the city centre.”

Progress with the scheme continues to be discussed with both the Army and Navy Taskforce and Great Baddow East Neighbourhood Association.

To help manage congestion at the Army and Navy junction, the council is continuing to encourage the community to play its part by avoiding peak periods or, where possible, switching to other modes of transport such as bikes, buses or walking.

More information about travel options in Essex, including car sharing, Park and Ride services, walking and cycle routes, and bus services, is available at: www.essex.gov.uk/travelplanning.

For the latest news on the junction, visit www.essex.gov.uk/armyandnavy or follow @EssexHighways or @Essex_Travel on Twitter.

Essex County Council announced last month that the flyover would stay closed after a detailed engineering report revealed new defects within its concrete foundations. 

It is now pressing ahead to have the structure removed as soon as possible and has invited interest from specialist contractors, while also continuing to work on a long-term solution to ease congestion and delays at the junction.

Crews will begin marking up the roundabout in the coming weeks ahead of the flyover removal and signage will also begin to be taken down.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “The Army and Navy is a crucial gateway to Chelmsford and, together with the support of the Army and Navy Taskforce, we are working incredibly hard on options for a long-term solution at the junction.

“In the meantime, we are looking to remove the flyover as soon as possible and I am delighted we have already had such a strong response from companies interested in carrying out the removal works.
“People will shortly see our crews out on the junction marking the roundabout and removing signage ahead of the structure coming down.

“I would once again like to thank people for their patience and support as we look to deliver a long-term solution that not only improves the junction, but also encourages more sustainable travel and avoids putting additional pressure on other roads in the city centre.”

To help manage congestion at the Army and Navy junction in the shorter term, various measures are being put in place and the community has been encouraged to play its part by avoiding peak periods or switching to other transport modes such as bikes, buses or walking, where possible.

More information about travel options in Essex, including car sharing, Park and Ride services, walking and cycle routes, and bus services, is available at: www.essex.gov.uk/travelplanning.

For the latest news on the junction, visit www.essex.gov.uk/armyandnavy or follow @EssexHighways or @Essex_Travel on Twitter.

As the council looks to improve green infrastructure and walking routes across Essex, Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure has recognised the importance of providing safe, suitable bridleways in the County, not only for pedestrians and cyclists but for the many horse riding enthusiasts across Essex.

Bridleways are vital for horse and rider safety as the number of cars on the roads increases. Essex Highways are now working with the Essex Bridleways Association and the British Horse Society to ensure bridleway improvements and considerations for new bridleways are included in planning developments.

Councillor Kevin Bentley said: “I want to ensure that as many people as possible can enjoy the Essex outdoors and by creating bridleways in the right location, to a high standard, we open up the countryside to so many more people.”

In order to support improved bridleways Essex County Council will:  

• Include a wider suite of specifications for bridleways in the Essex Design Guide to guide planners and developers at the earliest stage of planning.
• Review and incorporate bridleway guidance in the Public Rights of Way document “Development and Public Right of way” advice note. 
• Continue to support both the Essex Bridleway Association (EBA) and the British Horse Society (BHS) to complete the strategic bridleway plan. This will provide information guiding officers’ decisions when considering what classification of highway, including consideration of bridleways, is to be included in planning conditions.
  

It was announced last month that the flyover would stay closed after a detailed engineering report revealed new defects.

To help manage congestion in the shorter term, various measures are being put in place and the community has been encouraged to play its part by avoiding peak periods or switching to other transport modes such as bikes, buses or walking, where possible.

To coincide with Liftshare Week, Essex County Council is also renewing its calls for people to consider sharing car journeys with work colleagues, family or friends.

By doing so, people can save hundreds of pounds in fuel and parking costs, as well as helping cut the number of cars on the city’s roads and therefore reducing congestion and delays, and improving air quality.

The free Essex Car Share scheme can also help match people and there is also a chance to win a red letter day (up to the value of £150) if you register a Liftshare team by 20 October. For more information, please visit essexcarshare.com.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “The Army and Navy is a crucial gateway to Chelmsford and, together with the support of the Army and Navy Taskforce, we are working incredibly hard on options for a long-term solution at the junction.

“With the city continuing to grow and the road network already at 96 per cent capacity in peak periods, we must also look at more sustainable travel in the city and what we can do to reduce the number of single-occupied cars on the road.

“Liftshare Week is the ideal time to stop and think about your car journeys, and to consider whether you can not only help us minimise delays and congestion in the city but also save yourself some hard-earned money.

“If you and a colleague, family member or friend are regularly making similar journeys into Chelmsford then you could potentially halve the money you spend on fuel and parking by splitting the cost. Even if you do not have someone to share with, the free Essex Car Share scheme can help match you with other people who live, work and travel in your area, with its members saving an average of £759.92 a year.”

Liftshare Week, which runs until 13 October, is a national initiative to promote the benefits of sharing car journeys

More information about travel options in Essex, including car sharing, Park and Ride services, walking and cycle routes, and bus services, is available at: www.essex.gov.uk/travelplanning.

The Climate Change Commission will meet later this year and be made up of members and experts in the field. The commission will have an initial budget of £250,000 to fund and support environmental initiatives that look to reduce CO₂, reduce waste, promote sustainable transport and work to combat climate change.

Cllr Finch also announced the Essex Forest Initiative – a million pound tree project which will include planting 375,000 trees across the County over the next 5 years, equivalent to the size of 210 football pitches, which will capture 60,000 tonnes of carbon.

Cllr Finch said: “The time has come to actively demonstrate our commitment to climate change. Enough talking has been done, in order to have a future, we must act in the present, and the Essex Forest Initiative is an immediate tangible way in which we can show commitment to reducing our carbon footprint.”

Essex County Council is already showing its commitment to the threat of Climate Change and is undertaking the following steps:  

• Reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions e.g. replacing all streetlights with low energy LED bulbs, 
• supporting residents and communities to purchase lower cost solar panels through our Solar Together scheme. The scheme has saved 300 tonnes of carbon in year one alone.
• installing solar panels on our buildings, saving 258 tonnes of CO₂
• removing single use plastics from across the estate
• nearly 50% of our workforce are now using reusable coffee cups
• investing £50m a year in bus transport 
• converting 60 buses to Euro VI lower emission standards
• encouraging residents to use public transport by improving the park and ride, installing electric vehicle charging and encouraging cycling
• we are also developing a Green Infrastructure Strategy
• we have created 63km of special roadside verges that are left wild to encourage the growth of rare flowers and support animal habitats
• we are protecting 1000 properties from flooding, often using innovative low carbon techniques, such as Leaky Dams
• 90% of materials linked to our highways’ works are being recycled
• working to ensure new Garden Communities are sustainable. Our ambition is for tens of thousands of new homes, entire communities of the future built to be as energy efficient as possible

To further demonstrate the council’s commitment to climate change Cabinet Member Cllr Simon Walsh will now be the ‘Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change Action’ and will work as part of the Essex Climate Change Commission, to:

• Explore changing the procurement rules requiring suppliers to adopt more stringent sustainable practices
• Change how residents travel, ensuring we prioritise and enable walking, cycling and public transport first 
• Align with Defra's Recycling & Waste strategy, ensuring we have Zero Avoidable Waste by 2050
• Support the Greening of Town Centres
• Further consider how we can reduce our carbon footprint

Cllr Simon Walsh said: “Tackling climate change is everyone’s responsibility and we must play our part in tackling the biggest threat of the modern day. The creation of the Climate Change Commission shows our commitment to reducing emissions, energy usage and waste across Essex. The hard work starts now, but by working with employees, partners, businesses, residents and communities, we will build a greener future for the County.”

During the latest meeting of the Army and Navy Taskforce, made up of local representatives including Vicky Ford MP and elected members of the parish, city and county councils, it was agreed that information about the initial options would be shared in November.

Essex County Council has also been discussing progress with Great Baddow East Neighbourhood Association.

A full public consultation on a revised shortlist of options for the junction will follow at a later date once detailed testing and modelling has been completed.

Meanwhile, the council is continuing to press ahead with appointing a specialist contractor to remove the Army and Navy flyover as soon as is practicable after the announcement it would not re-open on safety grounds.

Various measures have been put in place to help with congestion in the interim, while people have also been encouraged to plan ahead and use alternative transport such as buses, bikes or walking, where possible.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “We are working incredibly quickly to provide the best solution for the Army and Navy.

“The junction is a crucial gateway to Chelmsford and we want provide a long-term and sustainable solution that is an asset to the city. However, we must also ensure we get it right and that any improvements encourage more sustainable travel and avoid putting additional pressure on other roads in the city centre.

“I have promised to keep the public informed wherever possible throughout the project and I am delighted we will soon be in a position to share some of our initial work.

“I will continue to work closely with the local MP, city and parish councillors, and local residents to ensure their views are heard.”

Vicky Ford, MP for Chelmsford, said: “The closure of the flyover is making travel around the city extremely challenging and I know many people are facing very frustrating delays. However, I am pleased that work to develop a long-term solution has been accelerated.

“Before any new scheme can be built a robust process of design, environmental and other assessments, and a public consultation, are needed. Thanks to the work of the Army and Navy Taskforce the first stages of this process are already completed.

“The Secretary of State for Transport, and the Under Secretary of State for Transport, have agreed that this project is an urgent priority.”

Stephen Robinson, Leader of Chelmsford City Council, said: “The Army and Navy junction is a key part of Chelmsford’s transport network and so any proposals need to address Chelmsford-wide traffic issues.

“The solutions need to include changes to the junction and also sustainable transport measures for the whole of Chelmsford.”

The Army and Navy Taskforce will continue to meet regularly to discuss both short-term measures to minimise congestion following the flyover closure and planned removal, as well as work to identify a long-term solution to improving the junction.

For the latest news on the junction, visit www.essex.gov.uk/armyandnavy or follow @EssexHighways on Twitter