A green protester has accused Essex County Council of wasting taxpayers' money by building a road which will not reduce traffic problems in south Essex.

Fred Matthews, for the Ramblers' Association, submitted his evidence at the A130 inquiry being held at the former Park School in Rawreth Road, Rayleigh, yesterday.

Essex County Council plans to build the road through south Essex, from the Rettendon Turnpike down to the present A130.

Mr Matthews said: "The traffic accident figures have decreased between 1993 and 1998 despite the increase in traffic.

"In other words, the measures taken over the past few years to improve safety, combined with safer designed cars are having the right effect and the way ahead must surely be to give thanks and ask for more of the same rather than a brand new road which will bring its own, although possibly different, dangers in speed and induced traffic.

"The northern section of the A130 is going to cost £300million, to be repaid at a rate of £10million a year to the Government by Essex County Council.

"So taxpayers will be mortgaged for 30 years to pay for a road for which the justification has not been proved."

Paula Whitney, representing Friends of the Earth, supported Mr Matthews.

Mrs Whitney claimed the new road would increase traffic congestion in the area.

Simon Harris, engineer for the county council, claimed the traffic calming measures currently in place at junctions along busy south Essex roads were not working.

He said: "Congestion and queues at the Rettendon Turnpike and other junctions cause a large number of nose-to-tail shunts on roads which are not designed to take speeding traffic.

"A new road designed to take cars going at a high speed would mean less accidents."

The inquiry continues.

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