Transport User Voice – ‘Difficult, stressful and at times dangerous’ A120

31 August 2017

Vital work to upgrade the A120 between Braintree and the A12 is urgently needed according to the findings of our latest report.

Transport Focus has worked with Essex County Council, Suffolk County Council and Highways England to explore road users’ experiences of, and desired improvements to, the stretch of the A120 running between Braintree and its junction with the A12 at Marks Tey.

The report found that drivers using the A120 between Braintree and the A12 feel that the single-carriageway road is “difficult, stressful and at times dangerous.”

Road users also told us:

• the A120 between Braintree and the A12 is seen as more congested and of poorer quality than other ‘A’ roads in the region
• the single carriageway in this section is insufficient for the volume of traffic
• due to its limited capacity and poor maintenance the road is typically thought of as “more of a ‘B’ road”
• overall traffic flow is negatively affected by slower moving vehicles
• people feel unable to overtake safely
• the presence of HGVs on a single carriageway road makes some drivers fearful for their safety.

One HGV driver featured in the report revealed the “bumps and lumps” in the road were so bad they could turn yoghurts in his trailer into butter. While one frequent flyer said that they left an extra hour on their journey time to Stansted Airport to accommodate for delays.

Essex County Council is expected to recommend a favoured route option, or options, to the Government this autumn.

Click here to read the report.

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