A DEVELOPER with the support of fellow investors has put forward a billion-pound proposal to finally build a new A120 dual carriageway.
The single carriageway stretch of A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey is widely regarded as not fit for purpose.
It is the only single-track road in the UK with an international airport at one end and an international seaport at the other, while certain road features increase risk for motorists.
There have been 27 deaths in 26 years on the A120 between Great Dunmow and Marks Tey, 10 of which were at the crossing between Coggeshall and Earls Colne between 2020 and 2024.
Peter Williams, 70, is the managing director of Williams Group, a SME business based in Hertfordshire which has focused on development in and around the Essex area for the past 20 years.
With decades of experience working with international funding markets to unlock major businesses and housing development opportunities, Williams Group has various land interests in Braintree and has been monitoring the planning process and infrastructure for around two decades.
The business’ involvement with the A120 project came to a head in 2019, when Mr Williams spoke to Essex Highways and urged them to consider alternative options for if government funding was not forthcoming.
Mr Williams said: “It seems to us that all the ingredients for growth in Essex already exist.
“Everybody is aware that the infrastructure changes that are proposed for the A120 extension are fundamental for economic benefit to the local area.
“[The A120] is dysfunctional and it’s frustrating growth which is already there to take.
“We think action is required now.”
What is the Williams proposal?
In the past three years, the Williams Group has assembled investors who are prepared to put money forward to build the new A120.
Mr Williams said: “[The investors] want to deploy capital for the benefit of the Essex region – and believe, as I do, that the delay in delivering that infrastructure is detrimental economically to so many aspects of Essex growth.”
It means as the government has not committed to funding the project, Mr Williams and investors have said they’ll gather the finances themselves.
Due to inflation, the original £1.1billion to £1.3billion proposal is projected to cost several millions more, up to £1.8billion.
Mr Williams says funding could be available to draw down within 12 months of a formal government mandate.
Williams Group has no fixed view on the route or redesign of the A120 extension, which will be decided by public bodies involved.
Previously, an Essex Highways public consultation found Route D between Galley’s Corner and the A12 Kelvedon South junction was the preferred route.
Mr Williams said the A12 proposed extension can be included with the proposal for the A120, as it forms the same principles of procuring finances.
In the past year, meetings have been held with key stakeholders, including local councils, Stansted Airport, Freeport East, and MPs including James Cleverly and Priti Patel to discuss the Williams proposal.
“We’ve managed to galvanise all the support really that is humanly possible,” Mr Williams said.
The Williams Group has submitted its proposals to the Department for Transport and entered discussions earlier this year, which have begun to progress.
The next stage is likely to involve further feasibility work alongside National Highways following the government’s Road Investment Strategy.
What are the benefits of a new A120 dual carriageway?
The scheme is expected to result in significant reduction in collisions in the area, including on the existing A120 and the local roads.
It would also reduce delays due to congestion, make journey times more reliable, and increase the overall transport capacity of the A120.
Mr Williams said: “I think there’s a lot of people who don’t really understand or know the reality of how beneficial that road will be.
“It’s not just removing or eradicating fatalities, it’s about making sure travel times are less, making sure the delivery of freight from the port is delivered more efficiently, making sure people go on holiday in a more timely, shorter distance.”
A new road would mean faster delivery times, less traffic and therefore faster journeys, and better quality roads.
Read more:
- New A120 would add £2B to economy and save £1.2B in journey times, officials say
- Council leader says region has been 'ignored' as he backs A120 upgrades
- Planning expert says A120 is not fit for purpose - 'We’re in 2025, not 1995'
The county would also see more growth, including more businesses, more homes, and more jobs – up to 20,000 new jobs, according to Essex Highways figures from 2013.
“You’re going to get better facilities, better access, better jobs, a safer environment, where the government aren’t being asked to write the cheque in its entirety,” Mr Williams said.
“It matters to us that this road is delivered. It is fundamentally important for growth and it assists with the government’s agenda of growth anyway.
“I’d like everybody to support what we’re doing, ask any questions they want, and get behind central government to say you should listen to Williams Group’s proposals – because it’s a benefit to everyone.”
The Braintree and Witham Times and Colchester Gazette have launched a petition calling for upgrades to the A120.
Sign it here: Petition · Dual the A120 between Marks Tey and Braintree - United Kingdom · Change.org.
