A126 Road work to deter boy racers begins

The trial scheme to improve safety and reduce anti-social behaviour on a road near Lakeside shopping centre is being launched next week.

Work will start on Wednesday 25 May to change the road layout between the two roundabouts at the A13 junction with the A126.

The northbound carriageway of the link road will be closed so drivers coming from the direction of Lakeside cannot turn around at the A126/A13 junction and head back towards the shopping centre.

Paul Robinson, Highways Agency route performance manager, said:"This work is in the interests of road safety. We are aware that the link road has been used for illegal street racing and we hope this scheme will deter that activity, while not disrupting law-abiding road users."

The closure will be trialled for up to six months. If successful, we will look to make it permanent."The work to close the road is being carried out overnight, when traffic flows are lowest, to minimise disruption."

Chief Inspector Dick Thomas, Essex Police acting head of road policing, said:"Essex Police welcomes the trial of the new road layout. Over a period of time now police have expressed safety concerns about the dangerous way in which this road layout is used by a significant number of drivers. Whilst police will continue to enforce traffic offences whenever possible this partnership approach in changing the road layout will provide a more sustainable way of enforcing road safety. The change has come about after a multi-agency agreement that this was a necessary course to take."

Work is due to start on Wednesday 25 May and be completed by Friday 27 May.

The northbound carriageway of the link road between the slip road leading to the westbound carriageway of the A13 and the slip road leading from the eastbound carriageway of the A13 at the A126 Lakeside Junction will be closed. This means drivers travelling northbound on the A126 from Lakeside will no longer be able to turn around at the A126/A13 junction.

The closure will be clearly signed.

Traffic wishing to turn around at the A126/A13 junction will be diverted westbound along the A13 to the M25 Junction 30 to turn round at the roundabout and return along the A13.

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