Essex County Council is to form the A12 Alliance with key stakeholders to produce a new route-management strategy in a bid to reduce congestion on Britain’s ‘worst road’.

The move follows consideration by the county council of the recommendations laid out in the independent A12 inquiry, which published its findings in July.

Of the 28 recommendations made by chair Sir David Rowlands, former head of the Department for Transport, the county council is taking forward three proposals for immediate action.

A new A12 Alliance will look at ways of running the road better on a day-to-day basis and improving emergency procedures by bringing together key stakeholders such as the Highways Agency and emergency services.

The county council is also planning on working with the A12 Alliance to look into fast-tracking investment for the A12 within the current regional framework laid down by the Government. It believes £60M could be applied for next February and used to fund a package of measures aimed at making short-term improvements.

Traffic management officers are to be introduced as soon as possible to relieve breakdowns and clear incidents more quickly, with Essex currently in talks with the Highways Agency.

The council said it is willing to consider funding the officers from its own budget. A report published this week by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) found travel delays cost the region £900 per worker a year with the A12 cited as a big contributor (see below).

Councillor Norman Hume, cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: ‘Time is simply not on our side, and Essex County Council will be acting as quickly as possible to bring about as many improvements as we can.’