Essex CC posts information about M11 Junction 8 scheme

Essex County Council has written to county councillors and interested parties about the proposed redevelopment of Junction 8 of the M11 and the junction at the southern/eastern end of Birchanger Lane. The letter, which can be found below, refers to a web page that has been created about the scheme. It confirms that they intend to go ahead, with preliminary works this winter and the main construction phase starting next spring and lasting for about two years.

They still plan to force traffic from Birchanger Lane to turn left, claiming that it "..is necessary to reduce delays and queuing that would otherwise occur from traffic turning right". The effect that this work will have on our bus service is addressed by saying ".. a potential new bus link between Birchanger Lane and Dunmow Road, Bishop's Stortford is being considered."

It appears that the meeting we were promised is, in fact, a 'public information event'. It will be in the village hall on Friday, 14 September from 14:00 to 20:00. If you can't make that then it will be at Bishop's Stortford Football Club on the previous day.

There is a survey about the plans here. We advise all residents to have their say.

Birchanger Parish Council is opposed to the plans as they stand. We know that Birchanger residents need to go to Bishop's Stortford to work, study, obtain healthcare or catch a train. Car users at the motorway end of the village will need to make a detour around the congested Junction 8 roundabout or via Stansted Road, and bus users may lose the service entirely. People living in other parts of Birchanger will have to put up with increased traffic as almost all traffic will use the B1383 end of the Lane to get to Bishop's Stortford.

We will continue to work with our county councillor, Ray Gooding, to oppose the plans, and we will ensure that our concerns about bus route 7 is on the agenda of the next Uttlesford District Public Transport Forum meeting.

The Essex statement follows.

Proposed improvements to Junction 8 of the M11 and the A120/A1250 Dunmow Road Junction

Briefing note – for information

Topic:

Essex Highways plans to undertake improvements to J8 of the M11 and the nearby A120/A1250 Dunmow Road Junction.

These proposed improvements will address current congestion and capacity issues experienced in the vicinity at peak times, while maintaining traffic movements for local residents and businesses, to support local plan delivery and future investment.

Advance works are anticipated to commence this Winter, with the full construction phase commencing in Spring 2019 and lasting around two years.

Background:

The M11 and A120 are important north-south and east-west routes respectively for the region, connecting Essex to the rest of the country and providing access to one of the region’s major airports at M11 J8.

However, J8 of the M11 and the A120/A1250 Dunmow Road roundabout suffer from congestion and are lacking capacity at peak times. These issues are likely to worsen in future as a result of additional traffic from planned developments in the north of Bishop’s Stortford, the continued growth of London Stansted Airport as well as local growth planned in east Hertfordshire and Uttlesford.

We now have an opportunity to make real improvements to these Junctions that will have a positive impact on both local and strategic journeys.

Current status:

Following a successful funding application to the Department for Transport, we are now in a position to move forward with our plans to improve J8 of the M11 and A120 west.

Studies undertaken since 2015 show that the best short to medium-term solution would be to improve slip lane capacity onto J8 of the M11 with an A120 signalised Junction, to help meet future network demand. The proposals are therefore as follows:

South-west of M11 J 8

  • Add an additional approach lane from the M11 J8 northbound exit slip onto the A120, with dedicated access into Birchanger Green Services, to increase capacity and reduce queuing
  • Install upgraded traffic signals to manage the traffic better

West of M11 J8

  • Replace the existing A120/A1250 Dunmow Road roundabout with a signalised Junction
  • Widen the A120 eastbound to three lanes on the approach to the new Junction with A1250
  • Widen the A120 westbound to three lanes on the approach to the new Junction with A1250, introducing a dedicated lane for A1250 traffic, and a new right turn lane for traffic for Birchanger Lane
  • Traffic from Birchanger Lane will only be permitted to turn left onto the A120. This is necessary to reduce delays and queuing that would otherwise occur from traffic turning right, as it would need an additional stage in the traffic signals and reduce the overall signalisation benefits.
  • Realign Birchanger Lane at the new A120 Junction within the highway boundary
  • Create a new footpath on Birchanger Lane to Birchanger Village from the A120 to improve facilities for people who walk, and improve cycle connections to the National Cycle Network
  • Install Toucan crossings to connect both sides of the A1250, which is currently severed by the A120, to allow people who walk and cycle to pass more safely between Birchanger and Bishop’s Stortford
  • Realign the bus laybys on Dunmow Road to improve traffic flow and install a new controlled crossing for pedestrians to make access to bus stops safer on Dunmow Road.

North-east of M11 J8

  • Add an additional approach lane on the M11 Southbound slip road to separate traffic to Stansted Airport, the A120, Takeley, the services, and Bishop’s Stortford
  • Upgrade traffic signals and overhead signage to facilitate traffic movement

Bus Services

  • Our studies have shown that there will be a modest reduction in journey times for some of the bus services using the new A120/A1250 Junction in comparison with the existing roundabout. However, a potential new bus link between Birchanger Lane and the A120 west of J8 is being considered.

Key considerations:

We are committed to communicating these proposals to interested parties such as local and regional businesses, residents and local representatives to ensure that they are aware of the proposals and the anticipated timeline of the works.

We will be sending out letters to interested parties from Monday, 27 August and there will be an opportunity for face-to-face public engagement at two information events as follows:

Thursday, 13 September, 12:00 – 18:00, Bishop’s Stortford Football Club

Friday, 14 September, 14:00 – 20:00, Birchanger Village Hall

Before construction starts, we will contact local groups, residents and businesses directly affected by the scheme proposals. Information will also be published on a dedicated M11 J8 page on the Essex County Council website; this will include work phases and plans for traffic management as details become available.

Next steps:

Conclusions: While no immediate action is required, we are reliant on councillors at county, district and parish level to ensure that the scheme is widely communicated due to the strategic nature of both the M11 and A120.

Further information will be available at www.essex.gov.uk/M11junction8 from 24 August. A feedback form will be available via a link on this webpage for residents and businesses to comment on the changes.