A LONG-AWAITED project to upgrade the A120 by creating a dual carriageway link road between Braintree and the A12 has been shelved, the Gazette can exclusively reveal.

Previously billed as “one of the most important infrastructure projects in Essex and the East of England”, a plan to revamp the major road has been ditched despite millions of pounds of investment.

Internal correspondence within the Department for Transport (DfT), seen by the Gazette, revealed work on the project will stop due to Treasury funding pressures.

Plans for the A120 upgrade were first developed by Essex County Council in 2017 and attracted huge investment.

Last year, Gabrielle Spray, Braintree Council’s planning boss, said: “Both Essex County Council and Braintree Council have invested millions to get these upgrades to the A120 moving.”

Gazette: A plan of how the new link road could lookA plan of how the new link road could look (Image: Newsquest)

National Highways took over the project in 2020 and has been progressing the scheme as one of 32 national ‘pipeline’ road projects, the documents reveal.

In May, calls were made for construction to finally start, with County Hall urging progress “as quickly as possible”, calling the current A120 “woefully inadequate”.

National Highways had been due to announce a preferred route for the project this summer, which would not have been Essex County Council’s preferred choice, the documents show.

County Hall had hoped to see a route run from Galleys Corner at Braintree to the A12 to the south of Kelvedon.

Instead, work on the project will cease altogether, with the documents revealing the DfT anticipates a huge backlash from MPs and councillors.

A draft National Highways document reads: “Essex County Council successfully focused their efforts in the early development of the scheme at political lobbying and we can expect they will continue this approach with MPs and Government in a bid to restart the project.

“[County Hall] are aware the preferred route would not be their favoured route from 2018 and we cannot discount the possibility of them sharing this publicly.”

The document adds: “Although the status of the scheme as a non-committed pipeline scheme has been made clear to stakeholders, there remains significant stakeholder and public expectation the scheme will continue and become committed for construction.

“Essex County Council will not want the project to be ceased.

“It is anticipated that they will publicly direct their frustration and criticism at National Highways and DfT, who they will undoubtedly hold responsible for the failure of the project to progress.

“They will most likely escalate this to the Secretary of State directly and via local MPs.”

The document says every ‘pipeline’ road project for 2025 to 2030 which exceeds £500 million in costs, including the A120 scheme, will be shelved until a wider review on affordability.

It adds: “The government will consider pipeline projects for further development based on our advice on a range of factors such as (but not limited to) strategic fit, value for money, affordability, environment, deliverability, and input from stakeholders.

“When the third roads investment strategy is published in 2024, it will specify which schemes are committed.

“All 32 pipeline projects are under continual review and assessment to determine which ones will be taken forward between 2025 and 2030.”

When approached by the Gazette, A DfT spokesman said: “No decision has been made on the A120 Braintree to A12 scheme and any updates will be set out in due course.”