A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening scheme (junctions 19 to 25)
We’re looking to widen the A12 between junction 19 (Chelmsford) and junction 25 (A120 interchange near Colchester) to ease congestion and cope with increasing traffic demands.
Project information
The A12 road is an important economic link. It provides the main south-west/north-east route through Essex and Suffolk, connecting Ipswich to London and the M25.
The section between Chelmsford at junction 19 (Boreham Interchange) to junction 25 at Marks Tey Interchange (near Colchester) carries high volumes of traffic, with up to 90,000 vehicles every day.
Heavy goods vehicles are between 9% and 12% of the traffic on this section due to its important freight connection, especially to Felixstowe and Harwich ports. This section of the A12 is also an important commuter route.
The resulting congestion leads to delays and means that, during the morning commute, a driver’s average speed is particularly slow in both directions for a dual carriageway A-road of its kind.
The proposed changes to this stretch of the A12 road will:
- improve safety for road users, especially at the junctions and slip roads through better design while also removing the current direct private accesses onto the A12
- reduce traffic congestion by increasing the capacity of the road, making journey times more reliable. The proposed scheme will save motorists as much as 1.5 hours in a working week if they travel daily between junctions 19 and 25
- take long-distance traffic off the local roads and put it back onto the A12 where it belongs, so that local roads aren’t used as rat runs, affecting local villages and their communities
- ensure that the road can cope with the predicted increase in traffic from more jobs and homes in the area
- make improvements for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and public transport users, to give them better connections and safer, more enjoyable journeys
Watch our videos
Find out more about the proposed changes to the road layout and junctions by watching our three videos below:
This project aims to:
- improve safety by closing-off private access onto the A12 and providing alternatives
- reduce congestion and make journey times more reliable
- smooth traffic flow by helping the road to cope with incidents such as breakdowns and accidents
- support planned economic and housing growth in Essex and the surrounding region
- provide safer alternative routes away from the A12 for cyclists, walkers and horse riders
A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening Design Consultation – 13 April 2023 to 14 May 2023
A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening Supplementary Design Consultation November 2021 - 9 November 2021 to 19 December 2021
A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening Preliminary Design Consultation - 22 June 2021 to 16 August 2021
A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening (Junctions 23 to 25) Public Consultation - 21 October 2019 to 1 December 2019
A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening scheme - 23 January 2017 to 3 March 2017
Documents
Ground investigations and surveys leaflet
A12 Surveys 2019 to 2020
A12 First forum presention 3 to 11 August 2016
A12 Second forum presentation 16 to 29 September 2016
A12 Third Forum presentation 25 November to 7 December 2016
Project Control Framework quick reference guide
Traffic data collection report
Options assessment report
Report on public consultation - May 2017
Our work and your property
All documents relating to the 2023 Design consultation can be found at the bottom of the consultation page. Read a copy of our consultation notice.
Supplementary Consultation Brochure
Preliminary Design Map Book 1 Updated General Arrangements 1 of 3 November 2021
Preliminary Design Map Book 1 Updated General Arrangements 2 of 3 November 2021
Preliminary Design Map Book 1 Updated General Arrangements 3 of 3 November 2021
Preliminary Design Map Book 2 Updated Land Use Plans 1 of 3 November 2021
Preliminary Design Map Book 2 Updated Land Use Plans 2 of 3 November 2021
Preliminary Design Map Book 2 Updated Land Use Plans 3 of 3 November 2021
All documents relating to the 2021 Preliminary Design consultation can be found at the bottom of the consultation page.
A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening (Junctions 23 to 25) - Preferred Route Announcement Brochure
A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening (Junctions 23 to 25) - Preferred Route Map
A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening (Junctions 23 to 25) - Public Consultation Report 2019
A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening (Junctions 23 to 25) - Frequently Asked Questions
A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening (Junctions 19 to 25) - Preferred Route Map
A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening (Junctions 19 to 25) - Proposed Area of Development Boundary
A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening (Junctions 19 to 25) - Public Consultation Report 2017
A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening - Scheme Assessment Report
A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening - Scheme Assessment Report Addendum
Consultation brochure – junctions 23 to 25 (2019)
Preferred route announcement – junctions 19 to 23 (2019)
Consultation response form (2019)
Consultation events 2019 - 19 to 23 preferred route - banner
Consultation events 2019 - Options A and B - banner
Consultation events 2019 - Options C and D - banner
Consultation events 2019 - Project update - banner
Consultation events 2019 - Benefits - banner
Consultation events 2019 - Background - banner
Consultation events 2019 - Journey time savings - banner
Consultation events 2019 - Traffic flows on local roads - banner
Consultation events 2019 - Next steps - banner

Traffic information
Information about scheduled roadworks and events on our motorways and major roads.X
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