Consultation opens on Chelmsford bypass and new station

Plans for a Chelmsford North East Bypass and new station are now on show, in a specially created 'virtual village hall' event, following the award of £218m of Government funding for the schemes.

Commented Leader of Chelmsford City Council Cllr. Stephen Robinson, "We've waited decades for a new station in north east Chelmsford. This brings it a couple of steps closer but there is still some way to go. It is vital that Government gives councils the powers and resources to invest in infrastructure before, or at the same time as, new development."

Welcoming the launch, Cllr Kevin Bentley, Essex County Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: "The bypass will help our strategic road network between Chelmsford, Braintree, London Stansted Airport and the wider area as well as improving congestion around the surrounding villages by taking traffic off the local roads.

"The station will help reduce pressure on Chelmsford station and the need to drive into the city centre. It will also provide a transport hub for people travelling on the Great Eastern mainline and into London or wishing to access public transport or walking and cycling networks."

South East Local Enterprise Partnership Chairman, Chris Brodie said: "These investments will reduce congestion in the town centre and relieve pressure at the station, one of the busiest commuter stations in the country.

"It will also make a clear difference for the wider area and improve connectivity and journey times for other regional road routes.

The new 8km bypass, running between the A131 close to Great Leighs and the A12 at Boreham, will remove traffic from the B1008 in Broomfield village, Essex Regiment Way and rural routes to the east and west, while also supporting the ongoing development of Beaulieu. The provision of the bypass will also support and encourage sustainable transport options along these routes.

Chelmsford Station, meanwhile, is the busiest two-platform station outside London with 8.5 million passenger trips per year. Creating a new three-platform station at Beaulieu will help ease pressure on the station. Through reducing the need to travel into Chelmsford City Centre, there will also be up to 900 vehicles taken out of the city centre each morning peak, improving capacity on the road network.

More details on the two schemes will be launched on Monday 13 July through a specially created 'virtual village hall' - a web-based exhibition created specifically for the scheme which will run until Friday 21 August 2020. Here, you will also be able to access a film which provides more information and a 'fly-through' of the schemes.

For further information and to access the virtual event, visit www.essex.gov.uk/chelmsford-north-east-bypass. For enquiries, email cneb@essexhighways.org.