AUNIQUE alliance aimed at improving one of Britain’s worst roads is to end.

The A12 Alliance between Essex County Council and Essex Police has fallen victim to Government cuts.

A dedicated police patrol team, the first of its type in the country, was set up with £1.25million funding after the AA named the road the worst in the country.

But county council bosses have now announced they are withdrawing 95 per cent of funding from the end of March – although it has set aside £100,000 to ensure extra road police patrols during peak periods.

Insp Steve Brewer, commander of Stanway Road Policing Unit and manager of the patrol team, said he was disappointed the alliance was being cut, but that officers understood the police and council needed to save millions of pounds.

He said: “This wasn’t about setting up a mini-police force funded by Essex County Council to bash motorists on the head – it was about keeping the road flowing and to get incidents dealt with in a timely manner.

“The team spent most of their time dealing with collisions and kept the road flowing.

“The A12 is a long chunk of road from Suffolk to the Met Police border. People who use it regularly suffer, as there is no alternative route and no hard shoulder.

“I don’t think it is the worst road in the country, but it is not fantastic.”

Mr Brewer said police would still respond to incidents on the road and limited patrols would continue, but there would no longer be a dedicated team.

He added: “It is a shame that funding is coming to an end at the most difficult financial time for the local authority and the police.

“It is a shame that we can’t continue the level of service, as the road is not going to get any better.

“But we know cuts and savings need to be made.”

Mr Brewer added that the team of three sergeants and 15 constables was “disappointed” with the decision.

He added: “Their jobs are not in jeopardy and they will stay within Essex Police.

“We are looking to place those officers in other jobs, hopefully within road policing, so we can utilise skills they have been trained in.

“We don't want to lose them, as they are highly-valued members of staff.”

Essex Federation of Small Businesses welcomed the decision not to axe the patrols completely. Chairman Iain Wicks said the federation had been a strong supporter of the alliance, as clearing incidents quickly and reducing delays saved traders time and money.

He said: “We were very concerned that, in the current financial climate, the A12 patrols would be axed, so are very pleased they will continue to operate during peak periods.

“While this is not as good as the previous level of cover, it does mean that patrols will be operating at times when they can bring maximum benefit to A12 users and we look forward to their continuing success.”

He added that the federation would be lobbying for more investment on the A12 and for the introduction of other congestion-busting measures, such as a ban on lorries in the outside lane between 6am and 8pm.

Norman Hume, county councillor responsible for highways and transport, said he was “delighted” that despite the financial situation the council was able to continue funding patrols at peak times.

He said the A12 was one of the region’s vital routes and the patrols had reduced congestion.