A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening Scheme

[jackal]

This scheme now has a HE page:

http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-p ... ing-Scheme

The plan is to widen the A12 to D3 standard between junction 19 (A130) and the existing D3 section at junction 25 (A120). This is quite a substantial project, valued at £100m-£250m and extending for around 15 miles.

Given the majority of the A12 between J11 (M25) and J29 (A120) is scheduled for widening, and several sections carry around 80,000AADF in a high growth area, I feel they've missed a trick by not upgrading to motorway as suggested here.

[qwertyK]

Thanks for the mention there. Quite a lot of places along there will require demolition the section at Witham and Great Braxted https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.81669 ... 6656?hl=en its actually a bit urban for a 70mph road.

It seems silly to not upgrade it to a motorway, considering its a major freight route between the Midlands (via the A14 at Ipswich), not to mention the docks down at Felixstowe, and the M25. On the one hand however, you have sections along the route that really aren't great for motorways, such as the Ingatestone Bypass built in 1958 https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.67415 ... 6656?hl=en - them tight bends really do show its age. Not to mention there are several other buildings, like Essex Fire HQ, along the route. Does seem silly though all in all not having a M12 after making most of the 53 mile section that is a trunk road three lanes.

[Truvelo]

Thanks for the mention there. Quite a lot of places along there will require demolition the section at Witham and Great Braxted https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.81669 ... 6656?hl=en its actually a bit urban for a 70mph road.

Perhaps that section will be replaced with an offline improvement although looking at the immediate area the only clear route is to the south of the existing road which means a new junction 22.

[SouthWest Philip]

I would suggest an offline motorway upgrade running to the NE of Hatfield Peverill and north of Witham & Kelvedon before re-joining the existing route at Marks Tay. Throw in a relatively short spur to the Braintree bypass and you've dealt with both the A12 & A120 in one go. Might even go as far as to suggest making the A120 route through to the M11 the mainline and calling the whole lot from Bishop's Stortford to Colchester the M12...

[wrinkly]

Some years ago, somewhere on the A12, there was a proposal to create a section of local access road, but it was eventually dropped. I think it would have connected the junction at the NE end of the Hatfield Peverel bypass with the one at the SW end of the Witham bypass.

[Runwell]

Yes that's right. Not sure whether those plans were dropped due to cost? Certainly not the nicest of on-slips from Hatfield Peverel to A12(N), with the Witham off-slip a third of a mile up the road.

Presume the compromise made at the junction a few years ago is all there will be - they realigned the on-slip from Witham (S) on to A12(S) and turned it in to a running Lane, right up to the Hatfield Peverel turn, which widened the A12 to three lanes s/b, providing a dedicated filter Lane?

[Runwell]

Thanks for the mention there. Quite a lot of places along there will require demolition the section at Witham and Great Braxted https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.81669 ... 6656?hl=en its actually a bit urban for a 70mph road.

Perhaps that section will be replaced with an offline improvement although looking at the immediate area the only clear route is to the south of the existing road which means a new junction 22.

AIUI, the Rivenhall section (between J22-23) will be an online widening.

The Fox pub by the A12(N) Rivenhall turn has been boarded up for years. However the old Little Chef then A12 diner the other side of that exit has just reopened as another diner. Unless there is a CPO for those buildings, it will be very difficult to achieve D3 both ways, as southbound are some services, as well as the Rivenhall hotel, and a few other buildings. The central reserve is also quite narrow.

[qwertyK]

Here is a section of the Brentwood Bypass that I think won't be able to be a three lane. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.63037 ... 6656?hl=en

I think making it a motorway would be expensive, especially along the section with the Fox pub, the Rivenhall Hotel, and the diner, but it is needed.

I'd also like to see a bypass of the Eastern Avenue, maybe an A12 (M) or M12, but many will argue that the M11 effectively is a bypass of the Eastern Avenue.


I think the section of the road most suited to be a motorway is by far the Brentwood Bypass. The Moutnessing Bypass is also quite high standard with a very motorway like sign https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.65403 ... 6656?hl=en

They are supposedly rebuilding the Brook Street roundabout (J11), which is a Godsend with the traffic lights always breaking down. I was stuck on the M25 approaching Brook Street for about 3 hours once because of an accident and the lights were out.

It's quite odd that once you get off the Colchester Road and under the M25 the Chelmsford bound carriageway is just a single lane, most traffic joins from the M25.

[M5Lenzar]

I've said before and I will say again. Anything that requires long sections of D3 should be a Motorway.

95% of the public will call this road a Motorway anyway. What's the difficulty in making it official?

[c2R]

I've said before and I will say again. Anything that requires long sections of D3 should be a Motorway.

95% of the public will call this road a Motorway anyway. What's the difficulty in making it official?

I agree - but of course there needs to be provision for non motorway traffic and property/field accesses. I often see farm machinery being driven on the A12, as well as other roads like the A14 and A1

[qwertyK]

Also, surprisingly, I see a lot of cyclists using the Brentwood Bypass. It's not quite a "secret motorway" like the nearby A130, but there is a clearly a reason why it has not been upgraded. It was actually said to be the worst road in Britain in 2007.

[qwertyK]

The A12 past Colchester is not really motorway standard, its like the A12 at Rivenhall End. But it could be like the A1, some sections are just upgraded to motorway, like A12 (M), then the non motorway sections can stay as the A12.

[jackal]

I'd also like to see a bypass of the Eastern Avenue, maybe an A12 (M) or M12, but many will argue that the M11 effectively is a bypass of the Eastern Avenue.

The fact the M11 is effectively an Eastern Avenue bypass is actually a big problem, as it increases congestion on M25 J27-J28 and at J28 itself, which is designed for through traffic rather than turning traffic.

There a line for a bypass most of the way from J11 but I can't see how you'd get through Gants Hill without a prohibitively expensive tunnel.

They are supposedly rebuilding the Brook Street roundabout (J11), which is a Godsend with the traffic lights always breaking down. I was stuck on the M25 approaching Brook Street for about 3 hours once because of an accident and the lights were out.

It's not a rebuilding in the M25 J10 sense (i.e. full freeflow), but it should be a noticeable improvement:

M25 Junction 28 improvement – upgrade of the junction between the M25 and the A12 in Essex, potentially including the provision of dedicated left-turn lanes and improvement of the gyratory system.

[qwertyK]

Well let's not forget the vast amount of A12 traffic, particuarly long distance HGVs, are often heading M25 Southbound to get to the A13, think sometimes its quicker to use the A13 instead of M11. And of course A13 eastbound towards the docks at Tilbury.

The A13 in London is what the A12 should have been, a high speed road (mostly) which has grade separated junctions and tunnels. Obviously it would be hugely expensive if done on the A12.

[jackal]

Well let's not forget the vast amount of A12 traffic, particuarly long distance HGVs, are often heading M25 Southbound to get to the A13, think sometimes its quicker to use the A13 instead of M11. And of course A13 eastbound towards the docks at Tilbury.

The A13 in London is what the A12 should have been, a high speed road (mostly) which has grade separated junctions and tunnels. Obviously it would be hugely expensive if done on the A12.

The frustrating thing is that there is a line for most of an Eastern Avenue bypass, with a nice juicy grade-separated A12 for it to plug into at both ends, but with that impassable line of development around Gants Hill. Though now I've measured it, it's only about 2 miles wide at its narrowest point - maybe not such a problem in this day of Trans-Pennine Tunnels and Crossrails?

[c2R]

Also, surprisingly, I see a lot of cyclists using the Brentwood Bypass. It's not quite a "secret motorway" like the nearby A130, but there is a clearly a reason why it has not been upgraded. It was actually said to be the worst road in Britain in 2007.

Just a correction that the A130 isn't a proper secret motorway, i.e. it is not a Special Road.

[Chris5156]

Here is a section of the Brentwood Bypass that I think won't be able to be a three lane. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.63037 ... 6656?hl=en

My finger-in-the-air engineering assessment is that you could ditch the hard strips and verges, narrow the central reservation, relocate lighting columns to the top of the retaining walls and fit three lanes through there with no bother. Worst case scenario is that lane 3 in each direction will be narrower than usual, but that's par for the course these days!

[qwertyK]

Well let's not forget the vast amount of A12 traffic, particuarly long distance HGVs, are often heading M25 Southbound to get to the A13, think sometimes its quicker to use the A13 instead of M11. And of course A13 eastbound towards the docks at Tilbury.

The A13 in London is what the A12 should have been, a high speed road (mostly) which has grade separated junctions and tunnels. Obviously it would be hugely expensive if done on the A12.

The frustrating thing is that there is a line for most of an Eastern Avenue bypass, with a nice juicy grade-separated A12 for it to plug into at both ends, but with that impassable line of development around Gants Hill. Though now I've measured it, it's only about 2 miles wide at its narrowest point - maybe not such a problem in this day of Trans-Pennine Tunnels and Crossrails?

Can you show me the route of a new bypass then?

[Chris5156]

The frustrating thing is that there is a line for most of an Eastern Avenue bypass, with a nice juicy grade-separated A12 for it to plug into at both ends, but with that impassable line of development around Gants Hill. Though now I've measured it, it's only about 2 miles wide at its narrowest point - maybe not such a problem in this day of Trans-Pennine Tunnels and Crossrails?

There's a smashing line for a bypass running from the A12 west of Redbridge Roundabout, interchanging with the M11 at Woodford, and then east around the top of Havering-atte-Bower to Brentwood. If it was built it could be called the M12

[Truvelo]

There a line for a bypass most of the way from J11 but I can't see how you'd get through Gants Hill without a prohibitively expensive tunnel.

You wouldn't tunnel but build a double deck viaduct instead. The idea was suggested 50 years ago but failed. There's an image of the viaduct here.