A ‘future-proof ’ and ‘safe’ A12 will be the product of a multi-million-pound investment, highways ex- perts have said.

Plans to improve the A12 from junction 19 at Boreham to junction 25 at Marks Tey were unveiled today.

The Highways England project is part of the Government’s £15billion investment in major roads.

Programme leader, Richard Hofton, said safety and sustainability come first.

He said: “About 90,000 vehicles use the A12 every day.

“One of the key things is relieving congestion and improving the resilience of the road.

“It’s an absolutely vital stretch- it only takes minor incidents to block it up again.

“We are pushing this scheme as fast as we can, it’s a heavily congested road.”

A public consultation is being held until March 3 to showcase four options.

Option one involves widening the existing A12 to three lanes in each direction.

It could mean the removal of direct access, and homes along the route will have to be bought.

Option two includes a three-lane bypass from Witham, re-joining the A12 at Kelvedon South.

A second bypass will be between Kelvedon and Marks Tey.

The third and fourth options are a single Rivenhall End bypass or a sin- gle Marks Tey bypass.

Work could cost about £250million, which will also be spent on improving junctions.

The Witham junction has seen 11 collisions in five years, with two serious and one fatal.

Mr Hofton said: “The junctions are unsafe and substandard.

“One of the fundamental outcomes is safety as many of the slip roads are too short- they will be improved.”

Congestion during the evening rush hour is at 91 per cent capacity from Witham to Rivenhall End.

Work is set for March 2020 and will take up to three years.

A public consultation on the preferred route will run in the autumn, before a planning application is submitted next year.

Public consultations will be held at Boreham Village Hall on Saturday, February 4, from 11am to 5pm, and Chelmsford Civic Centre on Wednesday, February 15, from 1pm to 8pm.