A12 bosses' refusal to be held accountable says more than they realise

The problem is, after two years of roadworks, closures, and speed restrictions, few people can actually remember what the journey was actually like before.

In fact, joining the A12 from the Cymbeline Way roundabout without being greeted by a sea of brake lights and traffic cones as drivers nervously squeeze into two lanes, still feels a bit bizarre.

Late – the project was due to finish in late 2023 or early 2024, but instead was not completed until this month (Image: Newsquest) But rather than being relieved about the roadworks finishing, many are completely disillusioned by a project which came in a year late and £11million overbudget.

And although many may wish to put the two years of roadworks behind them, the local press has a responsibility to ask what is being done to ensure projects of this cost and scale do not run overtime or overbudget again.

Those questions are even more relevant given a huge £1.3billion project to widen the A12 could begin in the next five years.

The Gazette has tried in vain to speak to the project manager in charge of the Marks Tey to Stanway resurfacing scheme, only to be told repeatedly nobody was available.

This all seems rather odd given National Highways seemed perfectly happy to put forward a project manager in August when the Margaretting resurfacing was finished.

One can only presume the organisation didn’t want to subject one of its bosses to face a series of challenging and much-needed questions about the project.

Why was it over budget? Why was it late? Why did road closures overrun as often as they did? And what exactly is 'faulty tarmac'?

These are questions National Highways seem determined not to answer, with their press team instead preferring to release its usual statement about the weather being a bit damp.

Queues – drivers faced frequent and lengthy delays for two years as a result of the works (Image: Google Street View) Contractors John Sisk and Son weren’t keen to issue a statement either.

But whether they like it or not, the high-ups of any organisation are responsible for facing up to shortcomings and answering uncomfortable questions.

Their decision to look away and order their press team to trot out a bland statement with its series of platitudes says more about the failings of the project than they realise.