Army and Navy hamburger roundabout plan gets government cash

Essex County Council says it hopes the scheme will be completed in 2028

A council says it has been promised £69m from the government to transform a busy city centre junction into a so-called hamburger roundabout.

Essex County Council said it was a huge step forward towards upgrading the Army and Navy junction in Chelmsford.

A road would run through the centre of the roundabout - along with "priority measures" for cyclists and buses - as part of the project.

Conservative Chelmsford MP Vicky Ford said: "This is phenomenally good news."

The proposed Army and Navy Sustainable Transport Package will also see a 350-space expansion of the Sandon Park and Ride - east of the city - and a 500-space expansion of Chelmer Valley Park and Ride, to the north of the city.

Ms Ford said: "This would make a huge difference to reducing traffic jams and boosting our economy. I am over the moon."

Sandon Park and Ride, just east of Chelmsford, would be increased by 350 spaces

The project would cost £81m in total, the council said, which included some funding from both the county council and Chelmsford City Council.

Lesley Wagland, Essex County Council's Conservative deputy leader, said the scheme would "encourage people to travel in and around the city in safer, greener, and healthier ways".

Chelmsford council's Liberal Democrat leader Stephen Robinson said it was also vital that other traffic issues in the city, including improved cycle paths elsewhere, were addressed.

A planning application would be submitted before the end of the year, the county council said.

Construction is scheduled to start in spring 2025 and completed in 2028.

The junction - named after the Army and Navy pub which was once operating at the junction - is used by 70,000 vehicles per day.

A flyover was built above the roundabout in 1978 as a temporary solution to traffic issues and was eventually demolished in 2020 because of structural defects.