A12 widening scheme given green light by Government
Witham MP Priti Patel has welcomed the decision taken by the Secretary of State for Transport to approve the Development Consent Order for the A12 widening scheme. The DCO is the formal planning application to enable the works to commence, with construction expected to be completed in 2028. The scheme is expected to cost in the region of £1.2bn and Priti had secured agreement from the Government in 2014 to fund the project, which will mean transforming the A12 between the Boreham Interchange (J19) to Marks Tey (J25) into a three lane carriageway. The scheme will involve widening parts of the existing route, realigning the route between Kelvedon and Marks Tey, and making changes to existing junctions. Priti said:
“The A12 widening scheme will transform our highways infrastructure to improve safety and journey times, while supporting economic growth in Essex and throughout the East of England. The decision to approve the scheme and the planning process for it will be welcomed by families and businesses. Throughout this process I have campaigned for the investment needed for the scheme and have worked with local communities along the line of route to raise the issues that they have had with the designs. This will be a major infrastructure project and it is important that National Highways continues to engage with local communities to manage the impacts of the scheme and its construction. There will be some people affected by the scheme who continue to have concerns and I will carry on making representations on their behalf and seeking steps to mitigate them.”