A12 Margaretting Bypass (junctions 13 to 15) concrete road reconstruction
We are rebuilding the A12 Margaretting Bypass between junction 13 (Ingatestone) and junction 15 (Webb’s Farm Interchange), including removing and replacing the current concrete road surface. This will improve safety, create a smoother quieter journey and extend the life of the road to make it fit for the future.
Installing new drainage catch pits
Excavation before laying the new road surface
Carriageway under reconstruction
Preparing for the new road surface
Starting to resurface the carriageway
Latest updates
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16 April 2024
Overnight road closures southbound junctions 16 to 13, April 2024
We’re continuing our work to rebuild the A12 Margaretting Bypass between junctions 13 (Ingatestone) and 15 (Three Mile Hill), including removing and replacing the current concrete road surface.
Once complete, this will improve safety, create a smoother quieter journey, and extend the life of the road for 40 to 50 years.
Southbound overnight closures
We’ll need to book a number of overnight closures on the southbound carriageway from 8pm to 5am each evening from Monday 22 to Friday 26 April. This will be a full closure southbound between junctions 16 (Galleywood) to 13 (Ingatestone). The closure is so that we can safely do landscaping and re-seed the verge. We'll work at night when traffic numbers are at their lowest.
Diversion information
A fully signed diversion route will be in place during these closures.
Southbound traffic will be diverted southbound at junction 17, along the A130, before travelling west along the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 (Gallows Corner).
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27 March 2024
Weekend road closure A12 northbound junctions 12 to 15, 5-8 April
As part of our work to reconstruct the main carriageway, Essex and Suffolk Water will need to divert two of their water mains.
We plan to help them with this by installing part of the infrastructure required for the water mains diversion across the A12 near Margaretting.
To do this safely, we’ll need a full closure of the northbound carriageway between junctions 12 (Brentwood) and 15 (Three Mile Hill/Webb’s Farm Interchange). This will take place from 9pm on Friday 5 April to 5am on Monday 8 April 2024.
A clearly signed diversion route will be in place.
Please note that the southbound carriageway will remain open during this period.
Local traffic
To help traffic flow and reduce any congestion through Ingatestone High Street, we’ll be temporarily suspending the parking bays from Pine Drive to The Bell public house on the High Street in Ingatestone between 6pm on Friday 5 April until 6am on Monday 8 April 2024.
We've collaborated with Ingatestone and Fryerning Community Association to provide free parking at the Ingatestone Community Centre car park, while the parking bays are suspended. We hope the provision of alternative free parking helps to reduce the inconvenience this may cause to the local community.
Please note that the parking bays outside the Co-op will remain open and available to use.
Diversion
During these A12 road closures, northbound A12 traffic will be diverted eastbound along the A127, before travelling north along the A130, ahead of re-joining the A12 at junction 17.
Junction 14 and Junction 15 exit slip road closures
Whilst we are rebuilding the northbound carriageway, it won’t be possible for road users to access either of the junction 14 and 15 exit slip roads.
Traffic wishing to use either of these exit slips will be diverted to junction 16, before going back along the A12 to the junction 15 southbound exit slip road.
The diversion route will be clearly signed and will be approximately 7 minutes long.
Diversion route
During the overnight slip road closures, the following signed diversion routes will be in place:
Southbound traffic will be diverted south at junction 17 onto the A130, before travelling west on the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 at the Gallows Corner roundabout.
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13 March 2024
Overnight road closures in March 2024
We’re continuing our work to rebuild the A12 Margaretting Bypass between junctions 13 (Ingatestone) and 15 (Three Mile Hill), including removing and replacing the current concrete road surface.
Once complete, this will improve safety, create a smoother quieter journey, and extend the life of the road for 40 to 50 years.
Southbound overnight closures
We’ll need to book a number of overnight closures on the southbound carriageway on the following evenings, so we can safely undertake landscaping and seeding the verge.
Date of road closure
Closure
From 8pm to 5am each evening from Monday 11 to Thursday 14 March
Southbound full closure junctions 16 (Galleywood) to 13 (Ingatestone)
From 8pm to 5am each evening from Friday 15 to Saturday 16 March
Southbound full closure junctions 16 (Galleywood) to 13 (Ingatestone)
From 8pm to 5am each evening from Monday 18 to Friday 22 March
Southbound full closure junctions 16 (Galleywood) to 13 (Ingatestone)
Overnight carriageway closures are done so that we can complete our work safely when traffic numbers are at their lowest.
Please note that all closures are subject to change at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances or poor weather conditions. We encourage drivers to plan ahead and allow extra time when travelling.
Diversion information
During these road closures, southbound traffic will be diverted southbound at junction 17 (Howe Garden), along the A130, before travelling west along the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 (Gallows Corner).
Junction 14 and Junction 15 exit slip road closures
Whilst we are rebuilding the northbound carriageway, it won’t be possible for road users to access either of the junction 14 and 15 exit slip roads.
Traffic wishing to use either of these exit slips will be diverted to junction 16, before going back along the A12 to the junction 15 southbound exit slip road.
The diversion route will be clearly signed and will be approximately 7 minutes long.
Diversion route
During the overnight slip road closures, the following signed diversion routes will be in place:
Southbound traffic will be diverted south at junction 17 onto the A130, before travelling west on the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 at the Gallows Corner roundabout.
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01 March 2024
Contraflow is being switched over
We've rebuilt more than seven miles of the A12 southbound carriageway at Margaretting, resulting in a smoother road surface, reduced noise levels and extending the road’s lifespan to 40 to 50 years on completion. At the same time, more than 6km of new drainage has been installed and more than 3km of safety barriers.
What's next
As we have nearly finished that work, we’ll soon focus on the northbound stretch. This means our traffic management contraflow will switch over from the northbound to the southbound part of the road.
A ‘contraflow’ layout provides us with a clear working area, which means we can work more quickly and safely, while minimising disruption for road users and keeping traffic flowing as smoothly as possible.
The new contraflow roadworks will be in place from March until Summer 2024 whilst we rebuild the northbound carriageway. During this time, two lanes will remain open in each direction.
Road closures
So that the contraflow roadworks can be installed safely, we’ll need a number of overnight road closures. To keep disruption to a minimum, we’ll be working overnight when traffic is typically at its lowest. The closures will take place on the following nights:
Date of road closure
Details of road closure
From 8pm to 5am on the evening of Friday 1 March
Southbound full closure junctions 16 (Galleywood) to 13 (Ingatestone)
From 9pm to 5am on the evening of Friday 1 March
Northbound full closure junctions 12 (Brentwood) to 15 (Three Mile Hill/Webb’s Farm Interchange)
From 8pm to 5am on the evening of Saturday 2 March
Southbound full closure junctions 16 (Galleywood) to 13 (Ingatestone)
From 9pm to 5am on the evening of Saturday 2 March
Northbound full closure junctions 12 (Brentwood) to 15 (Three Mile Hill/Webb’s Farm Interchange)
From 8pm to 5am on the evening of Sunday 3 March
Southbound full closure junctions 16 (Galleywood) to 13 (Ingatestone)
From 9pm to 5am on the evening of Sunday 3 March
Northbound full closure junctions 12 (Brentwood) to 15 (Three Mile Hill/Webb’s Farm Interchange)
From 9pm to 5am each evening from Monday 4 to Friday 8 March
Northbound full closure junctions 12 (Brentwood) to 15 (Three Mile Hill/Webb’s Farm Interchange)
April weekend road closure
As part of our work to reconstruct the main carriageway, Essex and Suffolk Water will need to divert two of their water mains. We plan to help them with this by installing part of the infrastructure required for the water mains diversion across the A12 near Margaretting.
To do this safely, we’ll need to close the A12 to do this safely from 9pm on Friday 5 April to 5am on Monday 8 April 2024. There will be a full road closure of the northbound carriageway between junctions 12 (Brentwood) and 15 (Three Mile Hill/Webb’s Farm Interchange).
We'll publish more information in the coming weeks.
Junction 14 and Junction 15 exit slip road closures
Whilst we are rebuilding the northbound carriageway, it won’t be possible for road users to access either of the junction 14 and 15 exit slip roads.
Traffic wishing to use either of these exit slips will be diverted to junction 16, before going back along the A12 to the junction 15 southbound exit slip road.
The diversion route will be clearly signed and will be approximately 7 minutes long.
Diversion route
During the overnight closures, the following signed diversion routes will be in place:
- Southbound traffic will be diverted south at junction 17 onto the A130, before travelling west on the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 at the Gallows Corner roundabout.
- Northbound traffic will be diverted south on the A12 to Gallows Corner, traffic will then travel east on the A127, finally joining the A130 northbound to re-join the A12 at J17.
There are no plans for the B1002 to be used as a diversion route for A12 traffic.
We ask drivers to remain on the A12 and to use the clearly signed diversion route throughout this period. Rat running on smaller, local roads impacts on villages and local communities and can be extremely dangerous.
Not only do these roads have lower speed restrictions, they also aren’t meant for large vehicles or high volumes of traffic, and often have weight restrictions in place. It can also lead to more congestion, increasing the risk of accidents for both motorists and pedestrians.
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07 February 2024
Latest road closure dates, February 2024
We’ve nearly finished our work rebuilding the A12 Margaretting Bypass southbound carriageway.
We will then move our roadworks, ahead of starting to rebuild the northbound carriageway. We’ll give dates for this work soon.
We can do most of our work by just closing some lanes of the road whilst the traffic uses other lanes. But we will also need to close the slip road overnight on the following dates:
Date
Closure
Saturday 10 February 2024, from 8pm to 6am
A12 junction 15 (Three Mile Hill/Webb’s Farm Interchange) southbound entry slip road
Monday 12 February to Saturday 17 2024, from 8pm to 6am
A12 junction 15 (Three Mile Hill/Webb’s Farm Interchange) southbound entry slip road
Monday 19 February to Saturday 24 2024, from 8pm to 6am
A12 junction 15 (Three Mile Hill/Webb’s Farm Interchange) southbound entry slip road
A fully signed diversion route will be in place during these closures. Road users will be diverted northbound onto the A12 before leaving at junction 16, and then re-joining the A12 to travel southbound.
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01 February 2024
Junction 15 southbound entry slip road reopen
We are pleased to inform you that the A12 Junction 15 southbound entry slip road is now open.
Unfortunately, there was a road traffic incident during the removal of the traffic management during the early hours of the morning, which hampered our activity.
But our team was able to complete the reopening once the police provided permission for them to continue.
Thank you for your patience whilst the slip road was closed. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
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26 January 2024
New date for reopening Junction 15 southbound entry slip road
Due to the continued bad weather we’ve faced throughout January, unfortunately the date for reopening the slip road has had to move to 6am on Thursday 1 February 2024.
Due to the large volume of traffic that uses this section of the A12 on a daily basis, the road needs to include an extra strong layer that is made up of a mixture of aggregate, water and cement binder.
This cement binder needs temperatures of 3 degrees or higher to set successfully. As the recent cold weather has been continuously below this temperature, both during the day and night, we haven’t been able to complete the sub-base at junction 15. In the meantime though, we did other types of work which were less temperature-dependent.
So we can prepare for the reopening of the slip road, we’ll need to close the A12 on the following evenings:
Date of road closure
Closure
Sunday 28 January 2024, from 8pm to 6am
A12 northbound closure from Junction 12 (Brentwood) to Junction 15 (Three Mile Hill/Webb’s Farm Interchange)
Wednesday 31 January to 3 February 2024, each evening from 8pm to 6am
A12 northbound closure from Junction 12 (Brentwood) to Junction 15 (Three Mile Hill/Webb’s Farm Interchange)
Monday 5 February to Friday 9 February 2024, each evening from 8pm to 6am
A12 Southbound closure from Junction 16 (Galleywood) to Junction 13 (Ingatestone)
The work is being done overnight so that we can complete our work safely when traffic is at its lowest.
Diversion
A fully signed diversion route will be in place during these closures - please see the 'diversion information’ section below for more details.
Southbound traffic will be diverted southbound at junction 17 (Howe Garden), along the A130, before travelling west along the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 (Gallows Corner).
Northbound traffic will be diverted eastbound along the A127, before travelling north along the A130, ahead of re-joining the A12 at junction 17 (Howe Green).
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05 January 2024
Delay to reopening of A12 Junction 15 southbound entry slip road
We’re continuing our work to rebuild the A12 Margaretting Bypass between junctions 13 (Ingatestone) and 15 (Three Mile Hill), including removing and replacing the current concrete road surface. Once complete, this will improve safety, create a smoother quieter journey, and extend the life of the road for 40 to 50 years.
A12 Junction 15 entry slip road
We were aiming to reopen the slip road next week but due to the continued bad weather at the end of December and the beginning of January, we've had to move the reopening date to the week commencing 22 January 2024.
At this time we aren’t able to provide a definitive date as our programme of work is dependent on weather conditions. However, as soon as dates are confirmed, we'll publish information here and on our social media channels.
We’d like to apologise for any inconvenience this will cause and thank you for your continued patience.
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19 December 2023
Overnight road closures in January 2024
We’re continuing our work to rebuild the A12 Margaretting Bypass between junctions 13 (Ingatestone) and 15 (Three Mile Hill), including removing and replacing the concrete road surface.
Southbound overnight closures in January
We’ll need to book a number of overnight closures on the southbound carriageway on the following evenings, so that we can safely continue our work.
Date of road closure
Closure
Tuesday 2 to Friday 5 January, each night between 8pm until 5am
Southbound from junction 15 (Three Mile Hill) to 12 (Brentwood)
Monday 8 to Saturday 13 January, each night between 8pm until 5am
Southbound from junction 15 (Three Mile Hill) to 12 (Brentwood)
Monday 15 to Saturday 20 January, each night between 8pm until 5am
Southbound from junction 15 (Three Mile Hill) to 12 (Brentwood)
Monday 22 to Saturday 27 January, each night between 8pm until 5am
Southbound from junction 15 (Three Mile Hill) to 12 (Brentwood)
We do overnight carriageway closures so that we can work safely when traffic numbers are at their lowest.
Please note that all closures are subject to change at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances or poor weather conditions.
Diversion information
A fully signed diversion route will be in place during these closures.
Southbound traffic will be diverted southbound at junction 17 (Howe Garden), along the A130, before travelling west along the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 (Gallows Corner).
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30 November 2023
Emergency and planned road closures in December
We’ll be closing the A12 southbound carriageway between junction 16 and junction 13 each night from 8pm until 5am, from Tuesday 28 November to Saturday 2 December to make emergency repairs.
The road will be closed to allow us to do the emergency repairs safely. We'll do the work at night when traffic levels are at their lowest.
A fully signed diversion route will be in place during these closures.
Diversion route
Planned overnight road closures in December
Due to us losing several work shifts as a result of the recent bad weather, we’ll need to have a number of overnight closures on the southbound carriageway.
The closures will be overnight carriageway so that we can complete our work safely when traffic is lowest.
We’ll be closing both the southbound and northbound carriageway, on the following evenings:
Date of road closure
Closure
Tuesday 5 December to Saturday 9 December between 8pm until 5am
Southbound from junction 16 (Galleywood) to 13 (Ingatestone)
Monday 11 December and Tuesday 12 December between 8pm until 5am
Southbound from junction 16 (Galleywood) to 13 (Ingatestone)
Thursday 14 December to Saturday 16 December between 8pm until 5am
Southbound from junction 16 (Galleywood) to 13 (Ingatestone)
Monday 18 December between 8pm until 5am
Southbound from junction 16 (Galleywood) to 13 (Ingatestone)
Wednesday 13 December from 9pm until 5am
Northbound from junction 12 (Brentwood) to 15 (Three Mile Hill)
Please note that all closures are subject to change at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances or poor weather conditions. We encourage drivers to plan ahead and allow extra time when travelling.
Diversion information
During these road closures, southbound traffic will be diverted southbound at junction 17 (Howe Garden), along the A130, before travelling west along the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 (Gallows Corner).
Northbound traffic will be diverted eastbound along the A127, before travelling north along the A130, ahead of re-joining the A12 at junction 17 (Howe Green).
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20 November 2023
Vegetation Clearance
In addition to the overnight closures discussed in the previous e-Bulletin, we need to close the A12 northbound carriageway from junction 12 to junction 16 each night from Monday 20 November until Saturday 26 November, so we can complete vegetation clearance. Please find more information below:
Closure Day Closure time Northbound from junction 12 to 16 Monday 20 November to Thursday 23 November From 9pm to 5am Northbound from junction 12 to 16 Friday 24 November to Saturday 26 November From 9pm to 6am So we can complete our work safely, the work will need to be done overnight when traffic numbers are at their lowest.
A fully signed diversion route will be in place during these closures - please see the 'diversion information’ section below for more details.
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14 November 2023
Our work in November 2023
We’ve created a short video to help explain our work, progress with the scheme and what we're doing to address key issues.
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30 October 2023
Extra overnight road closures in November 2023
Due to delays caused by the recent bad weather, we now need some extra overnight road closures during November to complete our vegetation clearance along the northbound carriageway.
Date of road closure
Closure
Wednesday 1 November, between 9pm and 5am
Northbound from junction 12 to 15
Friday 3 November, between 9pm and 6am
Northbound from junction 12 to 15
Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 November, each night from between 9pm and 5am
Northbound from junction 12 to 15
Saturday 11 November, between 9pm and 6am
Northbound from junction 12 to 15
Monday 23 October to 18 December 2023
Junction 15 southbound entry slip will be closed on a 24/7 basis.
Diversion information
Northbound full road closure: traffic will be diverted eastbound along the A127, before travelling north along the A130, ahead of re-joining the A12.
Junction 15 southbound entry slip road closure: traffic will be diverted on the A12 towards junction 16, where they’ll be asked to turn around and join the A12 southbound.
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06 October 2023
Overnight road closures for vegetation clearance and resurfacing
In October, we’ll be carrying on with our resurfacing of the southbound carriageway, while also starting vegetation clearance along the northbound carriageway overnight. Although most of the vegetation we’ll be removing will be small trees and bushes, some larger trees will need to be removed.
So this work can be completed safely, we’ll need to put in place a number of road closures on the A12 between junctions 13 and 16. This is because the vegetation that needs to be cleared is on the northbound side of the A12 (the southbound side is behind our currently protected work area). While our teams work on the northbound side of the road, we’ll need to close the road for their safety, and to keep disruption to a minimum, we’ll be completing this work overnight when traffic is typically at its quietest.
The A12 junction 15 southbound entry slip road will be closed on a 24/7 basis until the 18 December 2023, from 8pm on 23 October 2023, so we can reconstruct the southbound carriageway at this location. Please see the diversion route section for more information.
Date of road closure Closure Saturday 7 October Northbound from junction 12 to 15, and junction 15 southbound entry slip Monday 9 to Saturday 14 October Northbound from junction 12 to 15, and junction 15 southbound entry slip Monday 16 to Saturday 21 October Northbound from junction 12 to 15 Monday 23 October to Monday 18 December Junction 15 southbound entry slip will be closed on a 24/7 basis Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 October
Northbound from junction 12 to 15
Southbound from junction 16 to 13
Wednesday 25 to Saturday 28 October Northbound from junction 12 to 15
Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 October Northbound from junction 12 to 15 So our teams can work safely, we’ll also need to close the A12 overnight when traffic numbers are at their lowest in each direction. This means we will close and reopen the road at slightly different times, depending on the location and day of the week. This table explains the closure and opening times for our overnight activities.
Closure Day Closure time Northbound from junction 12 to 15 Monday to Thursday From 9pm to 5am Northbound from junction 12 to 15 Friday to Saturday From 9pm to 6am Junction 15 southbound entry slip closures Monday to Saturday From 8pm to 5am
Southbound from junction 16 to 13 Monday to Saturday From 8pm to 5am
Diversion information
- Southbound full closure - traffic will be diverted along the A130, before travelling west along the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12.
- Northbound full closure - traffic will be diverted eastbound along the A127, before travelling north along the A130, ahead of re-joining the A12.
- Junction 15 southbound entry slip road closure – traffic will be diverted on the A12 towards junction 16, where they’ll be asked to turn around and join the A12 southbound.
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08 August 2023
Upcoming overnight road closures for contraflow installation
We’re continuing our work to rebuild the A12 Margaretting Bypass (between junctions 13 and 15), including removing and replacing the current concrete road surface. Once complete, this will improve safety, create a smoother quieter journey and extend the life of the road by 40 to 50 years.
In late August, we’ll be installing a contraflow traffic management layout, so we can start reconstructing the southbound carriageway. Two lanes will remain open in each direction.
What is a contraflow?
A ‘contraflow’ layout is when the road is shut in one direction, and traffic is moved over to drive on the opposite carriageway to share the remaining road space. This provides us with a clear working area, which means we can work more quickly and safely, while minimising disruption for road users and keeping traffic flowing as smoothly as possible.
Installation of contraflow traffic management
We’ll begin installing the contraflow on the northbound carriageway in late August. This will involve installing safety barriers to separate the northbound and southbound lanes, and also laying temporary road markings.
Once installed, the contraflow will be in place from 6am on Friday 25 August 2023 until January 2024, when it will switch to the southbound carriageway, allowing us to reconstruct the northbound side.
So the contraflow roadworks can be installed safely, we’ll need a number of overnight road closures during the week commencing 21 August 2023. To keep disruption to a minimum, we’ll be completing this work overnight when traffic is typically at its lowest.
The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am on the following nights:
Date of road closure Details of road closure Monday 7 to Sunday 13 August
A12 northbound between J12 and J16 Monday 14 to Thursday 17 August A12 southbound between J16 and J13 Friday 18 to Sunday 20 August A12 northbound between J12 and J16 Monday 21 to Tuesday 22 August A12 southbound between J16 and J13 Wednesday 23 to Thursday 24 August A12 southbound between J16 and J13 & A12 northbound between J12 and J16
Tuesday 29 August to Saturday 2 September A12 southbound between J16 and J13 Diversion route information
During the overnight closures, the following signed diversion routes will be in place:
- Southbound traffic will be diverted south at junction 17 onto the A130, before travelling west on the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 at the Gallows Corner roundabout.
- Northbound traffic will be diverted eastbound at junction 29 of the M25 onto the A127, before travelling north along the A130, and re-joining the A12 at junction 17.
Junction 14 entry slip road closures
While the contraflow is installed on the northbound carriageway, we’ll need to close the A12 southbound entry slip roads at junction 14 from 6am on Friday 25 August 2023 until January 2024, as traffic cannot travel through our live work site.
Local traffic wishing to travel south on the A12 at junction 14 will be diverted along the B1002 ahead of joining the A12 at junction 13.
Additional driver information
We ask drivers to remain on the A12 and drive through our contraflow roadworks, and to stick to the agreed, clearly signed diversion routes throughout this period. Rat running on smaller, local roads impacts on villages and local communities and can be extremely dangerous. Not only do these roads have lower speed restrictions, they also aren’t meant for large vehicles or high volumes of traffic, and often have weight restrictions in place. It can also lead to more congestion, increasing the risk of accidents for both motorists and pedestrians.
Residents may hear more noise than usual during the installation of the contraflow traffic management, and we’d like to apologise for any disturbance caused by our activity. Please be assured that we’ll make every effort to carefully manage noise levels to minimise the impact of this work.
Please note that all closures are subject to change at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances or poor weather conditions. Please check our project webpage for the latest information before you begin your journey.
Come and speak to us – public information event
As part of our information sharing and engagement with neighbours and stakeholders, we’ll be holding a public information event ahead of our contraflow installation. This is an opportunity for all customers to meet the project team and learn more about the scheme progress and upcoming work.
Come along to meet our team, and we’ll answer any questions you may have about the contraflow installation and the project. We’ll be at Ingatestone & Fryerning Community Association 7 High Street, Ingatestone, CM4 9ED on 18 August from 12pm to 6pm.
Diversion route map for drivers travelling southbound and northbound on the A12
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10 July 2023
Upcoming overnight closures until 15 August
We’re continuing our work to rebuild the A12 Margaretting Bypass, including removing and replacing the current concrete road surface. Over the coming weeks, we'll be carrying out carriageway renewal work and installing the new vehicle restraint system.
So this work can be completed safely, we’ll need to put in place a number of overnight road closures. A clearly signed diversion route will be in place, please see the diversion route section below for more information.
The A12 will be closed between 8pm and 6am each night on the dates listed below:
Date of road closure
Details of road closure
Saturday 1 July
A12 northbound between J12 and J16
Monday 3 to Saturday 8 July
A12 northbound between J12 and J16
Monday 10 to Saturday 15 July
A12 southbound between J16 and J13
Monday 17 to Saturday 22 July
A12 northbound between J12 and J16
Monday 24 to Saturday 29 July
A12 southbound between J16 and J13
Monday 31 to Tuesday 1 August
A12 southbound between J16 and J13
Wednesday 2 to Saturday 5 August
A12 northbound between J12 and J16
Monday 7 to Saturday 12 August
A12 northbound between J12 and J16
Monday 14 to Tuesday 15 August
A12 southbound between J16 and J13
We’re sorry for the disruption this work may cause to your journey and encourage drivers to plan ahead and allow extra time when travelling. Please note that all closures are subject to change at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances or poor weather conditions. Please check our project webpage for the latest information before you begin your journey.
Diversion information
Please note that we’ll only be closing the carriageway in one direction at a time, and the following signed diversion routes will be in place:
- Southbound traffic will be diverted south at junction 17 onto the A130, before travelling west on the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 at the Gallows Corner roundabout.
- Northbound traffic will be diverted eastbound at junction 29 of the M25 onto the A127, before travelling north along the A130, and re-joining the A12 at junction 17.
Diversion route map
- Southbound traffic will be diverted south at junction 17 onto the A130, before travelling west on the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 at the Gallows Corner roundabout.
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22 June 2023
Upcoming overnight closures, June to August 2023
We’re continuing our work to rebuild the A12 Margaretting Bypass, including removing and replacing the current concrete road surface. Once complete, this will improve safety, create a smoother quieter journey and extend the life of the road for 40 to 50 years.
So this work can be completed safely, we’ll need to put in place a number of road closures. A clearly signed diversion route will be in place, please see the diversion route section below for more information.
The following sections of the A12 will be closed between 8pm and 6am each night on the dates listed below:
Date of road closure Details of road closure Monday 12 to Saturday 17 June
*updated*
A12 southbound between J16 and J13 Monday 19 to Wednesday 21 June A12 northbound between J12 and J16 Thursday 22 June A12 southbound between J16 and J12 Friday 23 June A12 northbound between J12 and J16 Saturday 24 June A12 southbound between J16 and J12 Monday 26 to Saturday 1 July A12 northbound between J12 and J16 We’re sorry for the disruption this work may cause to your journey and encourage drivers to plan ahead and allow extra time when travelling. Please note that we’ll only be closing the carriageway in one direction at a time, and a clearly signed diversion route will be in place - see the 'diversion information’ section below for more information.
Please note that all closures are subject to change at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances or poor weather conditions. Please check our project webpage for the latest information before you begin your journey.
Diversion information
During these road closures, southbound traffic will be diverted along the A130, before travelling west along the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 at the Gallows Corner roundabout.
Northbound traffic will be diverted eastbound along the A127, before travelling north along the A130, ahead of re-joining the A12 at junction 17.
A clearly signed local diversion route will also be in place for residents wishing to access the A12 during this time.
Overnight road closures during July and August
So this work can be done safely, we’ll need to put in place a number of road closures. To keep disruption to a minimum, we’ll be completing this work overnight when traffic is typically at its quietest.
The A12 will be closed between 8pm and 6am each night on the dates listed below:
Date of road closure
Details of road closure
Saturday 1 July
A12 northbound between J12 and J16
Monday 3 to Saturday 8 July
A12 northbound between J12 and J16
Monday 10 to Saturday 15 July
A12 southbound between J16 and J13
Monday 17 to Saturday 22 July
A12 northbound between J12 and J16
Monday 24 to Saturday 29 July
A12 southbound between J16 and J13
Monday 31 to Tuesday 1 August
A12 southbound between J16 and J13
Wednesday 2 to Saturday 5 August
A12 northbound between J12 and J16
Monday 7 to Saturday 12 August
A12 northbound between J12 and J16
Monday 14 to Tuesday 15 August
A12 southbound between J16 and J13
We’re sorry for the disruption this work may cause to your journey and encourage drivers to plan ahead and allow extra time when travelling.
Diversion information
Please note that we’ll only be closing the carriageway in one direction at a time, and the following signed diversion routes will be in place:
- Southbound traffic will be diverted south at junction 17 onto the A130, before travelling west on the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 at the Gallows Corner roundabout.
- Northbound traffic will be diverted eastbound at junction 29 of the M25 onto the A127, before travelling north along the A130, and re-joining the A12 at junction 17.
Diversion route map
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08 June 2023
Change of diversion route for overnight closures on 8 and 9 June
Please note: the diversion route for our planned closures of the A12 southbound between J16 and J13 overnight on Thursday 8 and Friday 9 June has been changed due to emergency road surfacing repairs being carried out near Gallows Corner.
From 8pm to 6am on Thursday 8 and Friday 9 June, traffic will be diverted along the A130, before travelling west along the A127. Traffic will then be diverted along the A128, before travelling west along the A1023 ahead of re-joining the A12 at the Brook Street interchange.
We're sorry for the inconvenience this change may cause and thank you for your patience while we deliver this vital upgrade.
Diversion route for overnight closures on Thursday 8 and Friday 9 June
Upcoming road closures until Friday 30 June
We’re continuing our work to rebuild the A12 Margaretting Bypass, including removing and replacing the current concrete road surface. Once complete, this will improve safety, create a smoother quieter journey and extend the life of the road for 40 to 50 years.
So this work can be completed safely, we’ll need to put in place a number of road closures. A clearly signed diversion route will be in place, please see the diversion route section below for more information.
The following sections of the A12 will be closed between 8pm and 6am each night on the dates listed below:
Date of road closure Details of road closure Saturday 10 June A12 southbound between J16 and J13 Monday 12 to Friday 16 June A12 southbound between J16 and J13 Monday 19 to Friday 23 June A12 northbound between J12 and J16 Saturday 24 June A12 southbound between J16 and J12 Monday 26 to Friday 30 June A12 northbound between J12 and J16 We’re sorry for the disruption this work may cause to your journey and encourage drivers to plan ahead and allow extra time when travelling. Please note that we’ll only be closing the carriageway in one direction at a time, and a clearly signed diversion route will be in place - see the 'diversion information’ section below for more information.
Please note that all closures are subject to change at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances or poor weather conditions. Please check our project webpage for the latest information before you begin your journey.
Diversion information from Saturday 10 June onwards
During these road closures, southbound traffic will be diverted along the A130, before travelling west along the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 at the Gallows Corner roundabout.
Northbound traffic will be diverted eastbound along the A127, before travelling north along the A130, ahead of re-joining the A12 at junction 17.
A clearly signed local diversion route will also be in place for residents wishing to access the A12 during this time.
Diversion route map
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31 May 2023
Update: upcoming overnight closures until Friday 30 June
We’re continuing our work to rebuild the A12 Margaretting Bypass, including removing and replacing the current concrete road surface. Once complete, this will improve safety, create a smoother quieter journey and extend the life of the road for 40 to 50 years.
On Monday 5 June we’ll begin carrying out work to prepare the foundations of the carriageway on the A12 Margaretting Bypass ahead of us laying the new, asphalt road surface.
Overnight road closures
So this work can be completed safely, we’ll need to put in place a number of road closures. To keep disruption to a minimum, we’ll be completing this work overnight when traffic is typically at its quietest.
The following sections of the A12 will be closed between 8pm and 6am each night on the dates listed below:
Date of road closure Details of road closure Tuesday 30 May to Saturday 3 June A12 southbound between J16 and J13 Sunday 4 June A12 northbound between J12 and J16 Monday 5 to Saturday 10 June A12 southbound between J16 and J13 Monday 12 to Friday 16 June A12 southbound between J16 and J13 Monday 19 to Friday 23 June A12 northbound between J12 and J16 Saturday 24 June A12 southbound between J16 and J12 Monday 26 to Friday 30 June *updated* A12 northbound between J12 and J16 We’re sorry for the disruption this work may cause to your journey and encourage drivers to plan ahead and allow extra time when travelling. Please note that we’ll only be closing the carriageway in one direction at a time, and a clearly signed diversion route will be in place - see the 'diversion information’ section below for more information.
Please note that all closures are subject to change at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances or poor weather conditions. Please check our project webpage for the latest information before you begin your journey.
Diversion information
During these road closures, southbound traffic will be diverted along the A130, before travelling west along the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 at the Gallows Corner roundabout.
Northbound traffic will be diverted eastbound along the A127, before travelling north along the A130, ahead of re-joining the A12 at junction 17.
A clearly signed local diversion route will also be in place for residents wishing to access the A12 during this time.
Diversion route map
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26 May 2023
Update: upcoming overnight closures until Saturday 24 June
We’re continuing our work to rebuild the A12 Margaretting Bypass, including removing and replacing the current concrete road surface. Once complete, this will improve safety, create a smoother quieter journey and extend the life of the road for 40 to 50 years.
On Monday 5 June we’ll begin carrying out work to prepare the foundations of the carriageway on the A12 Margaretting Bypass ahead of us laying the new, asphalt road surface.
Overnight road closures
So this work can be completed safely, we’ll need to put in place a number of road closures. To keep disruption to a minimum, we’ll be completing this work overnight when traffic is typically at its quietest.
The following sections of the A12 will be closed between 8pm and 6am each night on the dates listed below:
Date of road closure Details of road closure Tuesday 30 May to Saturday 3 June A12 southbound between J16 and J13 Sunday 4 June *new* A12 northbound between J12 and J16 Monday 5 to Saturday 10 June A12 southbound between J16 and J13 Monday 12 to Friday 16 June *updated* A12 southbound between J16 and J13 Monday 19 to Friday 23 June A12 northbound between J12 and J16 Saturday 24 June A12 southbound between J16 and J12 Monday 26 to Tuesday 27 June A12 northbound between J12 and J16 We’re sorry for the disruption this work may cause to your journey and encourage drivers to plan ahead and allow extra time when travelling. Please note that we’ll only be closing the carriageway in one direction at a time, and a clearly signed diversion route will be in place - see the 'diversion information’ section below for more information.
Please note that all closures are subject to change at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances or poor weather conditions. Please check our project webpage for the latest information before you begin your journey.
Diversion information
During these road closures, southbound traffic will be diverted along the A130, before travelling west along the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 at the Gallows Corner roundabout.
Northbound traffic will be diverted eastbound along the A127, before travelling north along the A130, ahead of re-joining the A12 at junction 17.
A clearly signed local diversion route will also be in place for residents wishing to access the A12 during this time.
Diversion route map
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25 May 2023
Upcoming overnight closures until Saturday 24 June
We’re continuing our work to rebuild the A12 Margaretting Bypass, including removing and replacing the current concrete road surface. Once complete, this will improve safety, create a smoother quieter journey and extend the life of the road for 40 to 50 years.
On Monday 5 June we’ll begin carrying out work to prepare the foundations of the carriageway on the A12 Margaretting Bypass ahead of us laying the new, asphalt road surface.
Overnight road closures
So this work can be completed safely, we’ll need to put in place a number of road closures. To keep disruption to a minimum, we’ll be completing this work overnight when traffic is typically at its quietest.
The following sections of the A12 will be closed between 8pm and 6am each night on the dates listed below:
Date of road closure Details of road closure Tuesday 30 to Saturday 3 June A12 southbound between J16 and J13 Monday 5 to Saturday 10 June A12 southbound between J16 and J13 Monday 12 to Friday 16 June A12 northbound between J12 and J16 Monday 19 to Friday 23 June A12 northbound between J12 and J16 Saturday 24 June A12 southbound between J16 and J12 Monday 26 to Tuesday 27 June A12 northbound between J12 and J16 We’re sorry for the disruption this work may cause to your journey and encourage drivers to plan ahead and allow extra time when travelling. Please note that we’ll only be closing the carriageway in one direction at a time, and a clearly signed diversion route will be in place - see the 'diversion information’ section below for more information.
Please note that all closures are subject to change at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances or poor weather conditions. Please check our project webpage for the latest information before you begin your journey.
Diversion information
During these road closures, southbound traffic will be diverted along the A130, before travelling west along the A127, ahead of re-joining the A12 at the Gallows Corner roundabout.
Northbound traffic will be diverted eastbound along the A127, before travelling north along the A130, ahead of re-joining the A12 at junction 17.
A clearly signed local diversion route will also be in place for residents wishing to access the A12 during this time.
Diversion route map
Project information
We will be reconstructing the A12 Margaretting Bypass (between junction 13 at Ingatestone and junction 15 at Three Mile Hill). Reconstruction will involve completely removing the concrete road surface and some of the foundations, before rebuilding the road and resurfacing it with asphalt.
The East region has the highest concentration of concrete roads on our road network, including the A14, A12, A120, A11 and M11.
Around half of the old-style concrete roads will either have repairs or will be replaced during the next five years.
We’re using innovative ways of working and new technology to provide a modern road that will last for decades to come. This will also make it easier and quicker for us to carry out repairs in the future.
Find out more about our nationwide Concrete Roads work.
Why we need the scheme
The surface of concrete roads that were designed between the 1950s and 1970s have an average life span of 50 years. Their surfaces are now reaching the stage where they will need to be repaired or replaced for safety reasons, and to help them be less noisy and better to drive on.
In late 2020, we made repairs to the A12 road surface between junction 22 and junction 24 in both directions. During early 2021, we resurfaced the A12 southbound main carriageway between junctions 27 to 26, and also repaired the road surface at the slip roads at junction 27. And in late 2021, we completed repairs to the A12 between junctions 15 and 19.
This video explains the process we go through to rebuild concrete roads:
There is more reconstruction, resurfacing and other maintenance work scheduled for 2023 on other stretches of this road.
Read about how we're rebuilding and replacing some of the old concrete road surface on the A12
Roadworks
We’re using a contraflow system during construction of the scheme.
A contraflow is when the road is shut in one direction and traffic is then moved over to drive on the other side of the road to share the remaining road space. This provides us with a clear working area, which means we can work more quickly and safely.
By using a contraflow, the A12 can have two lanes of traffic in each direction for most of the construction period. This will minimise the disruption to local communities and road users, limit the need for road closures and diversions, and allow the work to take place safely.
While the contraflow is in place, the carriageway will be reduced to two lanes both northbound and southbound. Full road closures are only be needed when we set up and take down our roadworks. The speed limit will be temporarily reduced for safety.
Diversion routes
It will be necessary at key points in our scheme to put in place some full road closures.
During full road closures, a fully signed diversion route will be in place for traffic wishing to travel on the A12 between junctions 13 and 16.
Southbound traffic will be diverted from the A12 at junction 17 to travel south on the A130 before turning west and joining the A127 until it meets the A12 at the Gallows Corner junction in Romford.
Northbound traffic will travel eastbound along the A127, before travelling north along the A130, ahead of re-joining the A12 at junction 17.
A local diversion route will also be in place for residents who wish to access the A12 north or southbound during full closures.
What happens next?
We’re finalising the design of the scheme and look forward to meeting with the local community to show those plans at our Public Information Exhibitions, which are planned to take place in February 2023.
When our work is complete, we will have:
- improved safety and provided a smoother rider for road users
- reduced noise levels
- created a new modern road with a 40 to 50-year lifespan that’ll be easier and quicker for us to repair in future
We’ve set up a free SMS alerts service to warn road users, via text message, of any incidents that occur within our roadworks on the A12 during peak travel times.
You can sign up for this service by sending your mobile number to: ConcreteRoadsEssex@nationalhighways.co.uk. Please reference the ‘A12 Margaretting Bypass SMS service’ in the subject line of your email, so it's clear which scheme updates you'd like to register for.
Please note that you can opt out at any time by contacting us at the same email address.
Documents
Related Road projects
Traffic information
Information about scheduled roadworks and events on our motorways and major roads.X
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