Representation by John Angier
- Date submitted
- 15 October 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I feel the whole project is flawed in the way it has been designed especially with the proposed closure of Junction 20A. The data on traffic volumes is understated in so many parts of the application. For example traffic flow along B1137 Main Road, Plantation Road, Church Road, in both directions, to name just a few. With the closure of that junction the road [Main Road] between Boreham Interchange and Hatfield Peverel will become even more of a rat run, for all types of vehicle, including HGV's, private buses and coaches. It is already a danger as it passes through the village along Main Road, where there are Recreation Ground, Village Hall, Play School, Coop Village store. Young people with children and the older generation are at ongoing risk already and frightened to venture to these locations. The situation is going to get worse, both during construction and post construction. The added village traffic will increase air pollution, irrespective of speed. The noise levels are already high in the village from both the current A12 and Main Road. Even more so on the former when it is damp. There is talk that the A12 will be resurfaced but ONLY on the London bound lanes. Not the Colchester bound lanes? Yet they are adjacent. Main Road is a major route for emergency vehicles in both directions, with the Main Essex Police Traffic garage being sited in Boreham, the new main ambulance station in close proximity, and a favoured route to the Major Broomfield Hospital. With the current traffic volumes seen along Main Road these vehicles are delayed regularly getting to their destinations. Lives are at risk. The situation will only get worse. Junction 20A needs to remain open in a truly modified form, and not closed as a cheap way of widening the A12 London bound to 3 lanes, at the cost of the lifestyle of those ever increasing number of residents in Boreham. I understand the policy is to get traffic off of rural / minor roads and onto major trunk routes like the A12. Closing Junction 20A will do the opposite to this stated policy. Put more traffic on Main Road for a longer distance AND keep traffic off of A12 until at least the Boreham Interchange.