Site preparation works will continue this week and throughout early January, using overnight lane closures.

No road restrictions will be in place between Friday 21 December and Wednesday 2 January to ensure that congestion is kept to a minimum during the busy Christmas and New Year period.

From late January onwards, overnight closures on the A13 will be in place to allow a temporary safety barrier to be installed along the side of the road. Lane widths will be reduced and a 40mph temporary speed limit will also be put in place for the safety of drivers and road workers, enabling us to start drainage works in the verge.

The project is scheduled to be completed in autumn 2020. More information about road restrictions is available online.

We are delighted the A13 road widening site has been independently rated as ‘Excellent’.

The Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) is an independent organisation, founded in 1997 by the construction industry.

By signing up to the scheme, the project’s principal contractor, Kier, agrees to abide by the Code of Considerate Practice, which includes ensuring that sites are clean and tidy, respectful towards the community, protective of the environment, operating safely and providing a high standard of welfare for their workforce.

The site was independently assessed in November and scored an impressive 40 out of 50.

Almost 300 people took the opportunity to find out more about the A13 widening project at recent information events in Orsett, Stanford-le-Hope, Horndon on the Hill and Grays.

Residents discovered more about the project, which involves widening the A13 between the A128 (Orsett Cock Roundabout) and A1014 (The Manorway, Stanford-le-Hope) from two to three lanes in both directions.

In addition to creating new lanes, four bridges will be replaced and new traffic lights will be installed on the Orsett Cock Roundabout to help manage traffic flow more safely.

Once the A13 project is completed there will be a continuous three lane carriageway from the M25 to Stanford-le-Hope, reducing congestion, improving journey times and supporting further economic growth.

Certain questions came up regularly during the information events and we have summarised these below.

What impact will the project have on noise levels?

Most of the main works will be undertaken during daytime hours to minimise the impact on the local community. There will be some overnight works required, but we will notify nearby residents in advance. When noisy work can’t be avoided in areas close to housing, we will bring in special acoustic barriers where suitable, to limit the disturbance.

A new low-noise road surface will be laid across the entire width of the carriageway to reduce tyre-generated noise. Despite the creation of a new lane in each direction, in most areas the low-noise road surface will mean existing noise levels are maintained or even reduced.

Why have you removed trees and shrubs in the area?

It was necessary to remove the trees and shrubs within the highway boundary to provide us with the space needed to widen the road and replace the bridges. In the latter stages of the scheme, a significant amount of replanting will take place across the whole area.

How will you manage the disruption to local villages during the work?

For most of the works, we will keep two narrow lanes open on the A13 in both directions. The lanes will be subject to speed restrictions and camera enforcement to give us the space necessary to work safely at the roadside. By maintaining two lanes of traffic in both directions, this reduces the need for drivers to find alternative routes and should minimise the risk of road users self-diverting through local towns and villages.Weekend road closures to replace bridges will be advertised in advance to encourage cross-county traffic to avoid the A13 and use the A127 and A12 instead.

Don’t worry if you missed the public information events in October, we will be hosting regular meet the team drop-in sessions throughout the project.

Those attending will have the opportunity to ask questions about the scheme. The next sessions will take place at the Kier site offices in Stanford Road, Orsett, tomorrow (19 December) and on Thursday, 24 January. 

The offices will be open between 9am and 7pm, with no appointment necessary and parking available on site.