Essex road holds the key to post-Brexit gateway

A dual carriageway upgrade of the A120 is vital to establish a post-Brexit gateway between the UK and the rest of the world.

With the road serving the international port of Harwich as well as Stansted Airport, Essex County Council says there must be no delay in starting the improvement scheme, from Braintree to the A12, which would bring huge economic benefit to the county.

Current estimates put this at £2.2 billion in gross value through new jobs, business and housing with the dual carriageway dramatically improving journey times and road safety.

The A120, one of just three east-west routes in the east of England, is seen as a key economic growth corridor in Essex with seven out of ten local businesses expecting to benefit from an upgrade of the road.

The council itself drew up plans for the upgrade of the A120 between Braintree and the A12 with a favoured route from Galleys Corner, near Braintree, joining the A12 just south of Kelvedon.

Highways England is now progressing the proposals after a campaign by MPs, politicians, businesses and road users successfully secured Government funding to fully develop the project.

The campaign saw overwhelming public support for an improvement scheme with four out of five of the 2,795 responses to public consultation agreeing that there was a need to upgrade the A120 to a dual carriageway.