THIS is the shocking moment drivers were caught on camera travelling the wrong way on a main road near Colchester in order to avoid tailback traffic.

Vehicles have been filmed driving in the opposite direction on the London-bound carriageway of the A120, before indicating right to go up the Severalls slip-road.

Brazenly, the audacious maneuverers were carried out while oncoming drivers were still trying to travel in the correct direction towards the A12.

The motorists’ moments of madness are believed to have occurred at about 1.30pm on Saturday after performing U-turns at the Ardleigh Interchange.

It is understood they endangered themselves and other road-users to avoid being caught-up in standstill traffic which had started to congest the A12.

READ MORE: Woman falls from Colchester bridge onto A12

The busy road had been closed by Essex Police after a woman fell from a bridge suspected to be positioned between the Colchester United stadium and Stanway.

According to eyewitnesses as many as 30 cars were clocked driving the wrong way on the A120 before exiting the road at Severalls within the space of ten minutes.

Essex Police has been contacted for comment.