A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening Scheme

[qwertyK]

Made some sign mock ups for the bypass. Perhaps we should have an online petition for the government.

https://sites.google.com/site/m12a12bypass/

[qwertyK]

Or an alternative route where the M12 just flies over the Eastern Avenue with the A12 under it, like the M4 and A4 in Chiswick.

[jackal]

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

Magnificent! Let's get started on it right away

I also like the US-style option for M12/Ringway 3 (possibly called a gothic interchange?). I didn't realize radical offside entry/exit designs like this were ever given any kind of serious consideration in the UK.

[qwertyK]

We need a petition. You can do one on the government's website.

[jackal]

Or an alternative route where the M12 just flies over the Eastern Avenue with the A12 under it, like the M4 and A4 in Chiswick.

Truvelo has a picture of something like that a few posts up, though it's even less likely to happen nowadays than a tunnel...

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?

The route I had in mind is more or less what you've drawn, though the route via Woodford that was considered in the mid-twentieth century may be superior. Download CBRD's ringways overlay to see that in detail.

[qwertyK]

I'd be interested to see the amount of people and what types of vehicles actually would use and benefit from an M12 - most traffic past Brook Street tends to just be local traffic, hence why on the plans I have drawn, you can see the A12 road still exists, but just not as a primary route anymore because the M12 bypasses it - like the A2 and M2 in Rochester.

Do you think the section from Wanstead to the Blackwall Tunnel/ ECR could be an M12, considering it did used to be the A102 (M), has the restrictions in place, and is of motorway standard?

[jackal]

I'd be interested to see the amount of people and what types of vehicles actually would use and benefit from an M12 - most traffic past Brook Street tends to just be local traffic, hence why on the plans I have drawn, you can see the A12 road still exists, but just not as a primary route anymore because the M12 bypasses it - like the A2 and M2 in Rochester.

Do you think the section from Wanstead to the Blackwall Tunnel/ ECR could be an M12, considering it did used to be the A102 (M), has the restrictions in place, and is of motorway standard?

It wasn't motorway between the A406 and Hackney Wick, nor I believe were the Blackwall Tunnels and northern approach.

[c2R]

I'd be interested to see the amount of people and what types of vehicles actually would use and benefit from an M12 - most traffic past Brook Street tends to just be local traffic, hence why on the plans I have drawn, you can see the A12 road still exists, but just not as a primary route anymore because the M12 bypasses it - like the A2 and M2 in Rochester.

I think it would attract traffic away from the M25 and M11/A13 as A12 trffic would be able to head straight for London rather than taking a parallel approach...

[Truvelo]

I also like the US-style option for M12/Ringway 3 (possibly called a gothic interchange?). I didn't realize radical offside entry/exit designs like this were ever given any kind of serious consideration in the UK.

Even more radical is the M12 junction to the north of Brentwood.

[qwertyK]

That junction is literally just at the end of my road (A1023). Never knew the M12 would have gone that far.

[wrinkly]

Not entirely on topic but I seem to remember reading something a few years ago about a proposal to re-route part of the A120, probably starting at the roundabout at the SE corner of the Braintree bypass, to pass south of Coggeshall and end on the A12 at a point further SW than the present junction of the two roads at Marks Tey.

[c2R]

Not entirely on topic but I seem to remember reading something a few years ago about a proposal to re-route part of the A120, probably starting at the roundabout at the SE corner of the Braintree bypass, to pass south of Coggeshall and end on the A12 at a point further SW than the present junction of the two roads at Marks Tey.

The most recent proposed route I think diverges further to the west of the roundabout, bypassing it to the south with a new dual carriageway.

[Jim606]

The most recent proposed route I think diverges further to the west of the roundabout, bypassing it to the south with a new dual carriageway

Yes, I've seen plans for a divergence further west of the A120 SE Braintree roundabout. I can't quite remember if this would involve building a new railway bridge or the divergence would start just after. The new A120 route is designed to have no intermediate junctions until it reaches the A12. I've also seen various options for the subsequent A120/A12 new junction just north of Kelvedon. I've seen one option with free flow slips to the north and another with a full movement arrangement.

I travel this way quite a lot so the new road would be of use.

[jackal]

The most recent proposed route I think diverges further to the west of the roundabout, bypassing it to the south with a new dual carriageway

Yes, I've seen plans for a divergence further west of the A120 SE Braintree roundabout. I can't quite remember if this would involve building a new railway bridge or the divergence would start just after. The new A120 route is designed to have no intermediate junctions until it reaches the A12. I've also seen various options for the subsequent A120/A12 new junction just north of Kelvedon. I've seen one option with free flow slips to the north and another with a full movement arrangement.

I travel this way quite a lot so the new road would be of use.

You can see the preferred option with a new railway bridge and the usual pathetic two bridge roundabout at the A12 here. There are also some alternative options on the map but it's hard to tell what they do at the A12.

The scheme appears to have been killed off in 2009, but Essex CC would like to get it in the roads programme for 2020-25:

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov. ... /4182.aspx
http://a120essex.co.uk/

[jackal]

Consultation starts Monday:

http://roads.highways.gov.uk/projects/a ... ng-scheme/

[JonB2028]

Consultation now online
https://highwaysengland.citizenspace.co ... ng-scheme/

[A303Chris]

DfT press release here which has a nice summary of the options.

[jackal]

From the Options Assessment Report:

A parallel M12 scheme running south from the
A120 to join the M25 between the A12 and M11,
with connections to the A414 and to the A130.

This option was discounted as it is unfeasible and
unlikely to be deliverable.

[SouthWest Philip]

From the Options Assessment Report:

A parallel M12 scheme running south from the
A120 to join the M25 between the A12 and M11,
with connections to the A414 and to the A130.

This option was discounted as it is unfeasible and
unlikely to be deliverable.

Maybe so, but it seems to me it would be eminently sensible to combine this A12 improvement scheme with the replacement of the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey. Personally, I'd bypass Witham & Kelvedon to the north with the new link from the A120 to/from Braintree joining at a fork midway along. It'd be tempting for the A120 to take the mainline and redesignate the whole lot as motorway (M12) between the M11 at Stansted and A12/A120 (E) diverge at Ardleigh.

[jackal]

it seems to me it would be eminently sensible to combine this A12 improvement scheme with the replacement of the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey.

It now seems Essex CC are proposing something along those lines:

This bid looks to add additional capacity and flexibility for the A12 between Kelvedon and Marks Tey in conjunction with that already proposed by Highways England, through the provision of more lanes and improved junctions.

The main proposal is to realign the A12 between Kelvedon and Marks Tey. Moving the position of the A12 to the east of its existing alignment would facilitate and realise the growth potential of this part of North Essex. We plan to complement the realignment with a completely new junction 25 which will provide direct access to the proposed Garden Community, signalising junction 23 at Kelvedon where the A12 meets a new A120 to facilitate traffic flow and widening of the Kelvedon Bypass to four lanes in each direction to accommodate future traffic volumes

So it seems the idea is to modify the current HE scheme so it provides four lanes on the A12 between the new A120 at Kelvedon and the current A120 at Marks Tey.

While that seems a reasonable idea, it's sad to see a discredited pinchpoint-style signalisation being proposed before either road is even built!

https://www.essexhighways.org/uploads/d ... ion_v7.pdf