A12 scheme finally lands over the line

National Highways has completed its major scheme to reconstruct the carriageway on a stretch of the A12 in Essex, two years after the project began.

The government-owned company described the end of the scheme between Junction 25 at Marks Tey and Junction 26 at Stanway as a significant milestone in its five-year national concrete roads enhancement project.

It has removed all temporary traffic barriers, cones, and speed limit reductions on the route.

A spokesman said: ‘The removal of the old concrete surface and the upgrade to a smoother and quieter asphalt finish has now been completed.

‘We would like to thank drivers for their patience following a significant period of speed restrictions during these works. The road is now back in operation at the national speed limit, and we would like to remind motorists to drive carefully and allow themselves and others time to readjust.’

The scheme began in October 2022 and was initially due finish in February of this year, but was delayed because of what National Highways called ‘unexpected challenges’.

It was then slated to be completed in ‘the summer’ and in early September but last month the company admitted that it would not be finished until the middle of this month.

National Highways said that during this project it:

• recycled 48,000 tonnes of old concrete road, ‘which is enough to cover the runway at Stansted Airport nearly five times over’
• laid 60,000 tonnes of asphalt, ‘which would cover Silverstone circuit nearly 12 times’
• removed 66,000 tonnes of soil, ‘which would cover 60 Premier League-sized football pitches’
• applied 26,000 metres of new white lines, ‘which could draw Wimbledon Centre Court lines over 370 times’.