Braintree MP welcomes A120 review

Brooks Newmark has welcomed a new study into the benefits of upgrading the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey into a dual carriageway. Braintree MP Brooks Newmark has welcomed a new study into the benefits of upgrading the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey into a dual carriageway. The study has been jointly commissioned by the East of England Development Agency, Government Office for the East of England and Essex County Council.

Mr. Newmark said, "this is excellent news and I hope that the review will focus attention on the very high cost to our region of delaying essential upgrade work on the A120. Just last week I questioned the Transport Minister on the need to get a move on with this project and I have subsequently written to him to press the point about the Government's funding priorities."

"One of the farcical elements of the Government's dithering on the upgrade of the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey has been the insistence that the route is only of regional importance and must therefore be paid for out of the regional budget. But it has become increasingly clear that this one project would swallow up almost the entire regional funding pot.

"Despite the A120 being considered as part of the Trans-European Road Network the Government refuses to classify it as a route of national importance. This is a little hard to stomach considering that the road connects major transport and freight hubs like Stansted and Harwich. I have already asked Ministers to correct the anomaly and I hope that this study will give extra weight to the argument.