The Essex roundabout that’s often gridlocked set for £81 million refurb funded by Government

A busy Essex roundabout is one step closer to receiving a huge refurb, as funding for the project has been announced by the Government today. It has been announced that the Army & Navy Sustainable Transport Package at Chelmsford will be funded by the Government.

Plans to refurbish the roundabout, which is expected to cost around £81 million, have been in the pipeline for several years. Thousands of vehicles use the junction each day and the over-capacity roundabout often causes gridlock for motorists.

Plans have already been approved to rebuild the existing five-arm roundabout by creating several lanes to run through its middle. This so-called “hamburger” roundabout will help to bust lengthy congestion and reduce emissions, according to Essex County Council – but construction work has not yet begun.

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However, it has now been confirmed today (July 8) that the Army & Navy Sustainable Transport Package in Chelmsford will officially be funded by the Government, confirms the Department for Transport. The funding is said to make “improvements to a key junction to the South East of Chelmsford, expansion of two Park & Ride sites and walking and cycling improvements”.

The junction, whose colloquial name comes from a popular pub that used to be on the junction but closed several years ago, consists of a five-arm roundabout and used to have a flyover that carried one-way traffic to and from the A1060/A1114. In 2019, however, the flyover – which was 286m long and initially only intended as a temporary structure in the 1970s – had to be knocked down after serious safety concerns reached peak levels.

The Army and Navy roundabout is already exceeding its capacity, resulting in severe congestion and delays for the local area. This new funding for the roundabout’s refurb is very much needed – but it is still yet to be confirmed when construction works will begin to take place.

In addition to the re-design of the roundabout, there will also be improvements to transport infrastructure on the outskirts of the city. These include expansions of 350-spaces and 500-spaces at the Sandon and Chelmer Valley Park and Ride facilities respectively.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:“Transport is the backbone of our economy, which is why we are giving them the record funding boost they need, putting taxpayer’s money where it matters most and making every day journeys easier.

“With over £92 billion investment we’re delivering the schemes that fast-track economic growth and jobs, connect communities, and will help us build 1.5 million new homes, as we deliver our Plan for Change. We’re forging ahead with the vital new transport infrastructure Britain needs, and improving what we’ve already got, to deliver a new era of renewal and opportunity.”