Essex A12 southbound to close for weekend roadworks

The A12 southbound between Chelmsford and Ingatestone will be closed for the entire weekend

The southbound carriageway of the A12 through Essex will be closed over the weekend as part of £65m improvements.

The closure will run between junction 16, the Stock Road interchange near Chelmsford and junction 13, the Trueloves interchange at Ingatestone.

It will allow the drainage system to be completely overhauled as part of the project to replace the concrete surface of the Margaretting bypass.

The northbound carriageway will remain open.

It is the first of six weekend closures over the course of the work, which is due to be finished by summer 2024, and will run from 20:00 BST on Friday 14 April to 06:00 on Monday 17 April.

Nisar Ahmad, National Highways project manager, apologised for the inconvenience: "We are doing everything we can to minimise disruption at the busiest times - that is why we are working at weekends and overnight."

Contractors, pictured replacing another road, will lift the surface from its foundations

The concrete surface will be removed down to the foundations, before the road is rebuilt with recycled material and an asphalt surface.

Improvements will also be made to the drainage system, safety barriers, road markings and catseyes.

Diversions will be in place along the A130 and A127 and are detailed on the National Highways website.

Drivers are being urged to stick to them and speed detector vans will also be deployed.

"Rat running is a dangerous practice - both for road users and those living locally," said Mr Ahmad.

"We agree diversions with the local authority to make sure larger vehicles and higher volumes of traffic are placed onto the most appropriate roads."