Anxious residents are waiting to get their first glimpse of possible options for the future development of the A12 corridor in Essex.

A series of public exhibitions is scheduled to take to the road after months of delay.

Traffic experts are remaining tight-lipped over the potential solutions for travel and transport issues between London and Ipswich.

A proposal for a new motorway running alongside the A12 has not been ruled out although the widening and upgrading of the A12 to a three lane highway from the Brentwood Brook Street roundabout through to Colchester is seen as more likely.

The exhibitions - due to take place in April - are the latest stage of the London to Ipswich Multi-Modal Study called LOIS.

A total of eight Moving Forward exhibitions are planned for the region including a two-day stop at a key venue in Brentwood.

LOIS Newsletter Number Three went to print last week and is set to be distributed to householders, parish councils and interested groups by Easter.

The LOIS study has been commissioned by the Government Office for the East of England (Go-East) to develop a recommended strategy for travel in the area for the next 30 years.

The final recommendations are timetabled to be put to the East of England Local Government Conference in late summer.

Detailed information packs will be available for people unable to attend any of the exhibitions. A report summarising the outcome of two workshops involving local authorities, parish councils, MPs and other groups, will also be published shortly.

Residents and other interested parties can comment on the proposals via the LOIS website at www.lois-mms.co.uk or by calling consultation project manager Jenny Leggatt at Social Research Associates on 0208 289 9686.

Published Thursday, March 14, 2002