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A12

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A12
Location Map ( geo)
Cameraicon.png View gallery (239)
From:  London (TQ382810)
To:  Lowestoft (TG517084)
Distance:  129 miles (207.6 km)
Meets:  M25, A11, A13, A127, A1114, A130, A414, A120, A133, A14, A1117, A47
Former Number(s):  A102, A102(M), A106
Old route now:  A47
Primary Destinations
Highway Authorities

National Highways • Suffolk  • Transport for London

Traditional Counties

Essex • Suffolk

Route outline (key)
A12 London - Copdock
(A14) Copdock - Bucklesham
A12 Bucklesham - Lowestoft
A12 Lowestoft - Great Yarmouth
Junction List
Junc. Northbound Southbound
11 M25, A1023 M25, A1023
12 A1023, B1002 A1023, B1002
13 No Exit B1002
14 Margaretting No Exit
15 A414, B1002 A414, B1002
16 B1007 B1007
17 A130, A1114 A130, A1114
18 A414, A1060 A414, A1060
19 A131, A138, B1137 A131, A138, B1137
20A B1137 No Exit
20B No Exit B1137
21 B1389 No Exit
22 B1389 B1389
23 B1024 No Exit
Bridge Kelvedon Bypass Bridge
24 No Exit B1024
25 A120, B1408 A120, B1408
26 A1124 A1124
27 A133 No Exit
28 A1341 A1341
29 A120, A1232 A120, A1232
Bridge Stratford Bridge
30 B1029 B1029
31 B1070 B1070
32A Capel St Mary Capel St Mary
32B Copdock Copdock
33 A14, A1214 A14, A1214

Route

This is the A12 just west of Junction 26
Main Article: A12/Route

The A12 is a major road from London to Lowestoft via Chelmsford, Colchester and Ipswich. It is one of the main arterial routes through East Anglia, and is a particularly important connection (with the A14) for goods traffic between London and the Port of Felixstowe. Despite this, the current road has largely been built out of a series of unconnected bypass plans and online dualling, and traffic particularly suffers between the M25 and A14.

History

Birds crossing the A12 in 1970
Main Article: A12/History

Like many of the first 99, the A12 has had a vast array of upgrades. Unlike most of them, the upgrades are a group of bypasses that just happens to make a major road. Also parts of the old road are now abandoned.

Notable locations and improvements

Redbridge Roundabout

The A406 overbridges.
Main Article: Redbridge Roundabout (London)

The Redbridge Roundabout is where the A12 meets the North Circular road. Built in the 1970's for the M15, now numbered A406, the roundabout today is very busy. It is also right by Redbridge Tube Station.

Brook Street Interchange

This is southern side of the roundabout from the M25
Main Article: Brook Street Interchange

Brook Street Interchange was first built in the 1970's as part of the Brentwood Bypass. The old road was renumbered A1023. In 1983 the M25 was built on top of the existing interchange. Today it is one of the busiest junctions of the M25 due to the fact the A12 is the only road from London to the southern end of East Anglia.

Copdock Interchange

This is the A12 near Copdock Interchange
Main Article: Copdock Interchange

Copdock Interchange is where the A12 meets the A14. A very busy junction as all A12 traffic is dumped onto the Eastbound A14. It also where the old A12 goes straight towards Ipswich.

Opening Dates

Month Year Section Notes
2024 (proposed) A12 extended north, taking over the route of the A1117 to meet the A47 at Corton Road renumbering
2016 A47 extended from Great Yarmouth to Lowestoft, reducing the length of the A12 Road renumbering
2000 A12 extended to A13 Road renumbering
1999 Redbridge to Hackney wick New Dual carriageway
1993 Gorleston Inner Relief Road Built on an old railway line
1987 Martlesham bypass
1986 Chelmsford second bypass
1984 Copdock and Washbrook bypass
1984 Ipswich Eastern bypass
1984 Harold Wood: Colchester Road dualling 2 miles online, Gallows Corner to M25 J28 Brook Street Interchange. Completed in September 1984 per the DoT's National Roads England 1985 report.
1977 Hopton-on-Sea bypass
1977 Wangford bypass Reported as open by the Winter 1977/78 RAC World magazine.
1976 Wickham Market and Ufford Bypass
1974 Colchester second bypass
1973 Margaretting Bypass
1973 Mountnessing Bypass Dual carriageway between Marylands Interchange and Trueloves Interchange (the gap between the Brentford and Ingatestone Bypasses). Shown on July 1973 OS Route Planning map. Not shown on July 1972 edition. It may have opened in 1972.
1971 Stanway and Lexden bypass
1971 Boreham bypass
1967 Kelvedon bypass
1966 Stratford St Mary bypass
1965 Brentwood bypass
1965 Hatfield Peverel bypass
1963 Witham bypass
1959 Ingatestone bypass
1933 Colchester first bypass
1933 Woodbridge bypass
1932 Chelmsford first bypass
1930 Ipswich first bypass
1930 Redbridge New Bridge
1925 Eastern Avenue Opened as A106
1923 Gorleston on Sea bypass Middleton Road, now B1370

Trivia

The A12 is one of just sixteen F99 routes that have the distinction of maintaining green-signed primary route status throughout its entire length. The others are the A14, A16, A17, A22, A42, A43, A45, A53, A55, A75, A78, A83, A84, A86, and A87.

Future

Expressway Proposals

In December 2017, it was proposed that the A12 could be upgraded to an expressway as part of the proposals to introduce a new type of road network. The proposal includes different expressway types with an aspiration that the highest quality expressways will be given motorway designation and an Ax(M) number. (Source: Highways England Strategic Road Network Initial Report)

Chelmsford to Marks Tey (19-25) Realignment

A scheme was announced in July 2016 to improve the A12 between Chelmsford and Marks Tey. This existing route consists mainly of online upgrades with some smaller offline bypasses. There are numerous property frontages, and other rights of way either are severed by the route or cross at grade. The existing route also mixes local and strategic traffic, with drivers suffering from poor journey reliability and low average speeds.

In August 2020, a preferred route annoucement was made[1]. The cost of the improvement is £1,045m[2], with construction anticipated to start in 2023/4 and be complete in 2027/8.

Videos

AEC Dump Trucks and Mercury Lorries - Chelmsford Bypass

AEC Mercury lorries at work on the construction of the A12 Chelmsford by-pass near the juction of the A130 back in 1986.

Watch video > >

Links

Roads.org.uk

Roads UK

National Highways

Hansard

  • M11 Link Road (11 March 1994) - different opinions in the house on the road

legislation.gov.uk

References




A12
Junctions
Ardleigh Crown Interchange • Barrack Corner • Beccles Road Junction • Bentley Longwood Interchange • Boreham Interchange • Bow Interchange • Brook Street Interchange • Capel St Mary South Interchange • Colemans Interchange • Copdock Interchange • Eight Ash Green Interchange • Four Sisters • Foxhall Roundabout • Furze Hill Interchange • Gallows Corner • Gants Hill Roundabout • Gapton Hall Roundabout • Green Man Roundabout • Hackney Wick Interchange • Harfreys Roundabout • Hatfield Peverel North Interchange • Hatfield Peverel South Interchange • Howe Green Interchange • Hughes Corner • Jubilee Way Roundabout • Kelvedon North Interchange • Kelvedon South Interchange • Lea Interchange • Links Road Roundabout • Little Heath Junction • Lynfield Motors Interchange • Marks Tey Interchange • Marylands Interchange • Middleton Road Roundabout • Moby Dick • Old Ford • Rackhams Corner • Redbridge Roundabout (London) • Sandon Interchange • Seven Hills Interchange • Severalls Interchange • South Bromley Interchange • Spring Lane Roundabout • St Peters Street Roundabout • Station Road Roundabout (Hopton) • Station Square • Stock Road Interchange • Stratford St Mary Interchange • Temple Mills • Tesco Roundabout (Lowestoft) • Trueloves Interchange • Vauxhall Roundabout • Victoria Road Roundabout • Webbs Farm Interchange
Services
Crossings
Roads
Places
Miscellaneous
Related Pictures
View gallery (239)
A12 - Coppermine - 7516.JPGSpeed-activated sign on A12 westbound off-slip at Wanstead turn-off Coppermine.JPGA12 Brentwood bypass heading ebound layby.jpgA123 Cranbrook Road just south of Gants Hill - Coppermine - 14068.jpgChelmsford Bypass Scheme B.jpg
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