Chelmsford City Council, Essex County Council, and Chelmsford’s MP met at county hall on Friday 11th May 2018 to further discuss the Chelmsford City Growth Plan. It was agreed that the Growth Plan will provide a large number of schemes which will fundamentally improve transport across the City of Chelmsford including new footpaths and cycle links.
They also discussed traffic congestion in specific areas of the city, including at the Army and Navy Roundabout. They agreed that it is important to find a long term solution to the congestion that regularly occurs in the Baddow Road and the impact this has on the roundabout and in this area of Chelmsford.
The local representatives all agreed that the proposed trial of a Bus Gate is a possible way forward, but further consideration will also be given to other options to ensure that local residents’ views are not ignored. Information sessions on the proposed Baddow Road Busgate are being held in the local area for residents to attend.
Since the initial proposals for the Chelmsford City Growth Plan were published, Chelmsford City Council and Essex County Council have been successful in obtaining additional funding for infrastructure. This includes £5.7 million for road developments related to Chelmer Waterside. Furthermore, Essex County Council has also been successful in reaching the final bidding round for an additional £250 million of funding. This would deliver the second railway station at Beaulieu Park as well as a new north east bypass. The delivery of these two projects will materially improve traffic movements in Chelmsford and the surrounding area.
Given these new developments, Chelmsford City Council and Essex County Council have agreed to work together in the next 12 months to continue to assess alternative approaches to alleviating congestion in the area surrounding the Army and Navy roundabout. The City Council has agreed to assist in the funding of these schemes if they are viable and practical, using funds gained from new development in the City Centre. Any final proposal will need to be workable, affordable and fundable.
In addition, Essex County Council and Chelmsford City Council will continue to work together on a scheme to replace the Army and Navy Flyover to reduce pollution and cut the number of accidents that this outdated scheme is seeing much more frequently.