Highways Agency

A12 M25 Ipswich (A120/A12 - Harwich)

The Strategy

The Route Management Study (RMS)

The RMS for the A12 and A120 is one of the first to be carried out in the country.

The Government has changed the way we think about planning roads and other transport. We now need to look at the regional picture, focus on local needs and consider how we can best bring together road planning with other transport and planning decisions. To do this the Highways Agency is using a method called Route Management Strategy or RMS.

RMS helps us to:

• Spend the available money more effectively
• Make road planning tie in better with regional transport and planning decisions
• Make sure you have your say, as local people often know more about local problems and what the solutions might be

The result of the RMS is a 10 year programme of maintenance and improvement schemes to make the best use of the existing highway. This leaflet contains a brief summary of these proposals.

What's been going on up to now?

A large amount of data and information has been collected for the two routes.

Consultations have taken place with local organisations (such as local authorities, regional planners, police and transport operators) and local communities (parish councils, residents, environmental groups and user groups).

Approximately 300 concerns were raised, ranging from public transport and environmental issues to congestion, road layout and quality of facilities. In addition to the problems raised we also received over 300 ideas for possible improvements to the routes. These suggestions have been considered in preparing the draft Route Management Strategy for the A12 and A120. The strategy is made up of the following high, medium and low priority actions.

RMS -HIGH priority actions

• Continue the A12 major maintenance programme
• A12 Hatfield Peverel to Witham Link Road
• Deal with accident hot-spots
• Junction and access improvement and rationalisation
• Improvements to the A12/M25, A12/A120 and A12/A14 interchanges.
• Set up information website
• Street lights for the A12 between the M25 and A120 Crown interchange
• Reduce noise through use of quiet road surfacing
• Work with public transport operators to publicise and encourage use of trains and buses
• Safe crossings for pedestrians, cyclists, equestrians and other non-motorised users

RMS -MEDIUM priority actions

• Provide local link roads to reduce local traffic, junctions and accesses on the A12
• New technology applications (eg variable message signing) linked to traffic control centres to aid traffic management
• Detailed studies on improving traffic flows
• Improve laybys
• Improvements to signing
• Street lights for the A12 between A120 Crown and A14 Copdock interchanges
• Improvements to highway landscaping
• Improve A120/A133 interchange

RMS -LOW priority actions

• Ramp metering (control of vehicles joining A12 at slip roads)
• Add junction names to signs
• Street lights on the A120

London to Ipswich Multi Modal (MMS)

A separate Government study is considering all methods of transport and their interaction with each other in a wide corridor along the A12 and A120.

This is the London to Ipswich Multi Modal Study, known as LOIS. It will address the most severe strategic transport problems rather than isolated local transport problems. It will focus on problems on the road, rail and bus systems, including access to ports and airports. The study could also include analysis of problems of air transport, coastal shipping and inland waterways. In addition to this, sustainable modes such as walking and cycling will be considered. Options are assessed with a 30 year planning horizon. The results of LOIS will be used by the regional planning body to develop and review the Regional Transport Strategy. LOIS was launched in September and contact details are provided on this leaflet.

What about...?

The RMS is generally restricted to schemes costing less than £5 million that can be implemented within 10 years. Many suggestions received were beyond the scope of the RMS, these are being passed on to LOIS, local councils, police, public transport operators, regional planners and The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) as appropriate.

What else is happening?

Major maintenance is currently underway on the A12 between the M25 and Brentwood, and is due to be completed in May. Further A12 maintenance schemes are planned at Hatfield Peverel this summer and in 2002 between Brentwood and Mountnessing.

Bridge strengthening works are also being undertaken on the A12 north of Colchester and are due to be completed this summer.

The preferred route for theA12 Hatfield Peverel to Witham Link Road was announced last year. It is proposed to close the two slip roads on the north side of Hatfield Peverel and link The Street to an improved junction to the south of Witham. The Draft Statutory Orders are due to be published this spring, and work could start on the scheme in 2001/ 2002 subject to completion of the statutory process and availability of funding. Further information on this scheme can be provided on request to the Highways Agency.

What happens next with the RMS?

This is your chance to have your say on the draft proposals. All comments received during this public consultation will be considered before the RMS is finalised. The high priority actions will then be taken forward during the next 3 years, providing funds are available. The RMS will be reviewed and updated on an annual basis.

Additional information

More detailed information on the Highways Agency. s proposals for managing the A12 and A120 are included in the draft RMS document. This can be purchased from the Agency, at a cost of £10 per copy, or viewed at the following locations:

• County Halls - Chelmsford and Ipswich
• District/Borough Council Offices - Brentwood, Chelmsford, Braintree, Maldon, Colchester, Babergh and Tendring
• Principal Libraries - Chelmsford, Braintree, Colchester, Ipswich and Harwich