A12 roadwork project a case of 'classic bad management' - councillor

The A12 northbound between Kelvedon and Stanway was completely shut from 8pm on Tuesday to 6am on Wednesday, with National Highways sharing details about the closures just two hours before they came into effect.

Restrictions will return from 8pm tonight when the A12 northbound will be closed from Marks Tey to Stanway whilst workers remove traffic barriers, cones, and complete final resurfacing work.

Traffic will again be diverted via Junction 25 at Marks Tey and through London Road before re-joining at Junction 26.

Traffic – traffic has been diverted through Copford each time the A12 has been shut (Image: Lizzy Steward) The closures will be yet another frustration for drivers who have been forced to endure delays on the A12 since National Highways started a resurfacing project on the road between Marks Tey and Stanway in October 2022.

As well as being a regular annoyance for commuters, the works have also affected residents who live in Copford, where traffic has been diverted each time the A12 has been shut.

James Macaulay, who sits on Copford and Easthorpe parish council, said the issue of HGVs being diverted through the village has improved but said the A12 works have been poorly managed overall.

He said: “That is what we have seen a lot of – late notice.

“It’s classic bad management and not joined-up thinking, and that seems to be the whole approach for the A12 development.

“It’s a flagrant waste of the public’s time and money.”

The A12 work has involved removing the concrete surface and replacing it with asphalt – a more durable material which can withstand high temperatures and heavy loads.

The project was originally due to be finished late last year but National Highways executives have postponed the completion date several times.

As well as running overtime, the scheme is also majorly overbudget – the cost for resurfacing the road was originally estimated to be £33 million, but an FOI request from the Gazette in March revealed the cost had hit £44 million at the start of this year.

Unimpressed – Copford and Easthorpe parish councillor James Macaulay criticised 'bad management' of the project (Image: Copford and Easthorpe Parish Council)It also found that from October 2023 to March 2024, only two miles of road had been resurfaced.

It is now hoped work will conclude by the end of this year.

The public can ask questions about the project by emailing info@nationalhighways.co.uk or calling 0300 123 5000.

An SMS alerts service, which can be subscribed to by contacting ConcreteRoadsEssex@nationalhighways.co.uk, is also available so the public can receive warnings about any incidents which occur on the road during peak travel times.