A12
A12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Location Map ( geo) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Colchester • Romford • Ipswich • Chelmsford • London • Lowestoft • Docklands • Stratford, London • Ilford • Great Yarmouth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Highway Authorities | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Route outline (key) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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
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 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
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
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 | |
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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.
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
- The A12 Trunk Road (Lowestoft Northern Spine Road, Suffolk) (Trunking and Detrunking) Order 2016 - minor orders relating to junction improvements at the A12/B1385 junction in Lowestoft
- The A12 London–Great Yarmouth Trunk Road (A12/A14 Seven Hills Roundabout to South of Bascule Bridge) Detrunking Order 2001 - Detrunking of the section between Ipswich and Lowestoft
- The A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening Development Consent Order 2024 - Road widening and improvements between J19 (Boreham) and J25 (Marks Tey)
References