Representation by Charles Henry Martin
- Date submitted
- 12 October 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am a net supporter of the A12 widening scheme. However, the closure of the existing Junction 20A between Boreham and Hatfield Peverel will, by National Highways own figures, increase through traffic in Boreham. Currently traffic is permitted to enter the A12 at Junction 20A Southwest bound relieving Boreham of this element of traffic flow. If this junction is closed as planned, the traffic that currently joins the A12 northeast of Boreham will travel through Boreham to join the A12 at Junction 19. This will have a detrimental effect on the village. National Highways state that much of this existing traffic is arriving in Hatfield Peverel from the Maldon direction at the Junction of Maldon Road and The Street (Duke of Wellington junction). They also state that with the creation of their new junction 20 between Hatfield Peverel and Witham the majority of this traffic from Maldon will turn northeast to a new junction 20 only to return southwest along the new improved A12. I find this unlikely. National Highways are saying that they are discussing with Essex County Council ways in which this route through Boreham can be made less attractive to through traffic. Some ideas being floated are:- (a) Speed limits, these will not have any effect as the limits are unlikely to be enforced by the Police. Traffic moving slower does not reduce the flow. (b) Speed cameras, again traffic moving slower does not reduce the flow. (c) Traffic calming, this may have a possible effect of reducing traffic as the route becomes less desirable and inconvenient to users, but calming will also have the same negative effect for residents of Boreham who may use the B1137 Main Road daily. All of these ideas are mitigation measures which would be unnecessary if Junction 20 A was to remain open to southwest bound traffic. I have previously submitted (Feb2022) an alternative design that enables junction 20A to remain open. My design moves the junction northeast by a considerable distance, thus enabling a standard slip-on plus acceleration lane. National Highways seem stuck on the idea that this junction must remain where it is and as such a suitable slip and acceleration lane cannot be provided due to the restraint of Crix Bridge shortening the available length to incorporate a safe layout. I refute their stance and would suggest that project timescales have dictated what they can design in the timeframe and alternative designs do not fit within this timeframe. It has to be said that National Highways have not given me the courtesy of a reply to my suggestion of an alternative layout for Junction 20A which I find very poor practice. I therefore object to the element of the scheme that closes existing Junction 20A on the grounds it will have a negative effect on the residents of Boreham as described above.