Plans to widen the A13 in an effort to ease traffic congestion have been delayed for a year, council bosses have revealed.

Essex County Council had planned to invest £500,000 in increasing the sizes of lanes between Sadlers Farm roundabout and Tarpots, in Benfleet.

However, bosses have deferred the project, fearing work would clash with the construction of the new A130 bridge over the A127.

Ron Williams, cabinet member for strategic planning and transportation, said: "I can't allow it to go ahead next year when we are building this bridge.

"There will be a carriageway closed in each direction on the A127 and it is bound to cause some people to use the A13 instead."

The dual carriageway in each direction between Sadlers Farm and Tarpots is particularly narrow, leading to congestion at peak times.

The proposals would not see extra lanes added but would rather increase the road's width to allow smoother traffic flow.

Mr Williams said there were also issues surrounding how close any enlarged A13 would come to surrounding homes.

When complete, the new A130 will run from the A12 in Chelmsford down across the A127 between Basildon and Southend. The southern section is due to run between Sadlers Farm and the Fairglen Interchange up to the Rettendon Turnpike.

Mr Williams added: "We need to look at what alterations we might need at Sadlers Farm as the new A130 will bring in considerably more traffic. This could be a bridge or tunnel."

Published Wednesday December 19, 2001