Green light for bypass

From the archive, first published Thursday 8th Mar 2007.

THE long-awaited congestion-busting bypass for north Chelmsford has been approved.

Essex County Council will press ahead with plans for a £138 million bypass to ease traffic congestion to the north east of the town.

Transport bosses say the existing A130 would have ground to a halt in 20 years' time with traffic taking 30 minutes to make the journey. The new five-mile road - between Great Leighs and the A12 at Boreham - will more than halve journey times to around 13 minutes.

Council chiefs agreed on the Option D route, which was £85 million cheaper than the rival Option E.

But plans for a controversial link road slicing through the Chelmer Valley have been put on hold for up to two years.

Option E and the Chelmer Valley link were put forward by Chelmsford Council which plans to build around 4,000 homes in Broomfield and Springfield.

Work on the new road is expected to start by 2012-13 if the council can secure funding.

County Hall transport supremo Rodney Bass said the decision followed "extensive" consultation.

"Although it has been an important and controversial decision, I am confident it is the right one," he added.

County councillor Mike Mackrory, deputy leader for the Liberal Democrats, said: "We favoured option D as being the least environmentally damaging choice available.

"I'm totally opposed to the Cross Valley Link because of the environment there and feel it isn't necessary."

Last week Neil Gulliver, borough council cabinet member for planning and building control, told the Weekly News he was not concerned the county council had not chosen route E.

"I'm just delighted the county council are taking matters forward and that residents will get traffic relief," he said.

A spokesman for the Chelmsford North Action Group, which rallied against the route devised by borough councillors, said they applauded the county council's verdict.

He added: "However, the county council have deferred their decision about a Cross Valley road, which we are totally against."