Everything you need to know about the new A12

The A12 is set to be widened to three lanes between Chelmsford and Marks Tey in the coming years.

After a number of public consultations and years of discussions, Highways England has revealed how it plans to improve journey times for the 90,000 people who use the stretch of the A12 everyday.

Here is everything we know about the scheme, and what it will mean for each junction along the busy road.

Which bits are being widened?

Everything between junction 19 at Boreham to junction 25 at Marks Tey is set to be made into three lanes in both directions.

Bosses say this is needed, not only to ease congestion, but also to make the road safer.

The widening scheme will see a number of junctions moved or scrapped altogether.

This includes junctions 20B and 20A at Hatfield Peverel which will be removed, as will the unnumbered junction at Rivenhall.

When will the work begin and finish?

Highways England hopes work on widening the road can begin in 2023 or 2024 at the latest.

This is with a view to the scheme being complete no later than 2028.

Another public consultation on the confirmed route is expected to take place next year,

An application for a Development Consent Order will then be submitted in the winter of 2021/2022 with a view to getting permission to upgrade the road by 2023.

What will the upgrade mean for Witham?

The stretch of road between junctions 19 (Boreham) and junctions 22 (Witham) will largely remain the same.

As mentioned, junctions 20B and 20A at Hatfield Peverel will be scrapped, with residents in the village instead asked to use a new "super junction" near Witham to access the A12.

Junction 21 at Witham will be altered to serve traffic moving in all directions. The exact details of what the "super" junction will look like is being worked on with the help of Essex County Council.

The second junction (22) at Witham is set to be moved south west slightly to allow for a new route to be created between Witham and Kelvedon.

What will the upgrade mean for Rivenhall?

One of the biggest changes will be seen at Rivenhall End, which is currently split in half by the A12.

Highways England plans to move the road south so it will bypass the village before linking it up with the current route just before junction 23 at Kelvedon.

The old route will be downgraded but is likely to remain open for local traffic.

What will the upgrade mean for Kelvedon?

The current thinking is to remove junction 23 at Kelvedon and provide a new access road liking the village with junction 22 at Witham.

However, this remains in the planning stages and must also take into account plans for the new A120, which could see a new road built between Galleys Corner in Braintree and Kelvedon.

The second junction at Kelvedon (24) is being moved back west along the A12 and will link up with Inworth road. This will provide better access to the A12 for residents in Inworth and Tiptree.

It is also being moved because a new bypass is being built between Kelvedon and Marks Tey which will see the A12 between the two villages moved south.

What will the upgrade mean for Marks Tey?

The new A12 route between Kelvedon and Marks Tey will see the road moved south and run parallel with the existing stretch.

The road will then link up with junction 25 at Marks Tey.

Proposals are in place to modify the junction which will see a new roundabout and slip road built.

Junction 25 is notoriously busy because it links up with the A120 west towards Braintree, however that could change if a new A120 is built.

Where can I find out more information about the scheme?

All the details about the A12 widening scheme are available on the Highways England website.