RESILIENCE of the road network should be maintained by creating a new section of road when the A12 is widened, Braintree Council has said.

Braintree Council has written in response to the A12 route consultation asking that Option 1 be discounted by Highways England

Route Option 1 follows the current A12 carriageway between Junction 19 at Boreham and Junction 25 at Marks Tey extending the section of road to three lanes.

The report states: “Braintree Council is not supportive of Option 1, which provides online widening.

“This option does not provide sufficient resilience in the network and continues to cause significant severance issues for villages such as Rivenhall End as well as creating a series of complex rear entrances to a large numbers of properties.”

The response was produced by a cross-department working group from Braintree Council and studied the routes effect on potential developments, the environment, safety and other factors.

Braintree Council’s response also states that improvements to the A12 should be considered in conjunction with Essex County Council’s plans to dual the A120.

The report continues: “It is essential that these schemes are considered side-by-side as they have significant implications for local and strategic traffic movements across the District and delivery of the Local Plan.

“Any work on the A12 project should not prejudice the A120 project and vice versa.”

A consultation into the proposals for the new three lane A12 closed on March 3.

The Government has committed to funding the scheme, with work expected to begin in 2020.