National Highways has revealed that its delayed scheme to reconstruct a concrete section of the A12 in Essex will also miss its latest completion target and be delayed by at least another six weeks.
As Highways has reported, the A12 Junction 25 Marks Tey to Junction 26 Stanway concrete roads reconstruction 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’.
In August, the government-owned company said that the scheme had moved into its final phase and told the BBC that it would be completed in ‘early September’.
The webpage for the scheme still states that it is due to finish in ‘Summer 2024’.
However, on Tuesday a spokesperson told Highways: ‘The reconstruction of the A12 between Marks Tey and Stanway will now be completed by mid-October.
‘We would like to apologise for the delay as we appreciate the additional disruption this has on those living and working nearby as well as regular road users.
‘Weather and poorer ground conditions have meant that an intermediary road layer – known as a binder course – which traffic has been travelling on has been in place longer than anticipated and needs to have some remedial work carried out before we can apply a final top layer and complete the reconstruction to our high standards.’
The scheme involves removing the concrete road surface and some of the foundations before rebuilding the road and resurfacing it with asphalt.
The National Highways spokesperson added: ‘When completed this section of the A12 will be a smoother, safer and quieter road that will require less maintenance, reducing congestion and disruption for decades to come.’
Although Highways pointed out earlier this month that the timetable seemed to have slipped since its announcement in August, National Highways declined at that time to admit its new target dates were unlikely to be met.
However, last Friday (13 September), it posted a new announcement on the scheme’s webpage, stating that it was continuing ‘to work towards’ the scheme’s completion and that further overnight road closures were required from Monday 15 September, up to and including Monday 22 September.
The #A12 southbound remains closed this morning between J26 #Stanway and J25 #MarksTey due to a planned overnight roadworks closure over-running their pre-agreed end time.
— National Highways: East (@HighwaysEAST) September 17, 2024
A signed diversion in place.
We'll re-open as soon as it's safe to do so. pic.twitter.com/V9G6z8K2EM
On Tuesday morning, National Highways said that the A12 southbound remained closed between Junction 26 and Junction 25 'due to a planned overnight roadworks closure over-running their pre-agreed end time'.
At 10am the company said it was unable to say when the road would re-open and local media reported severe delays on the route.
