A traffic-busting slip road was officially open to drivers yesterday - two weeks ahead of schedule.

EJ Taylor and Sons has completed the £400,000 project earlier than expected and a ceremony was staged at the Sadler's Farm roundabout.

Motorists, who had long campaigned for improvements, will now be able to use an extra lane linking Canvey Way off the island with the London-bound A13.

County councillor Ray Howard praised the contractors as he planted the first shrubs to landscape the area and then sent a message to drivers.

He added that because of the early completion engineers could now look at the possibility of introducing a pedestrian crossing on the A130 between Sadler's Farm and Rayleigh.

Mr Howard also told drivers that he expected the contraflows on the A13 between the Five Bells roundabout and Pitsea flyover to be removed by the end of the week although work will be continuing over the coming weeks.

Meanwhile Castle Point is in line for the lion's share of the county's highways budget.

Optimistic councillors believe road improvements in the borough will eat up 20 per cent of the money set aside for the whole of Essex.

The final decision over which areas receive money will be made at a crunch meeting at county hall on March 19.

However, Castle Point councillors are confident that a huge slice of money is coming to the area. Labour leader Dave Wells said: "We are being treated as a special problem area.

"We are finally due to get a fair share of county money to help relieve local congestion.

"We have a list of ten improvements we would like to see implemented around the borough and problem spots such as Kenneth Road and the Woodmans Arms, both in Thundersley, have been drawn to our attention. The county is recognising we have problems."

He added: "We are in line for 20 per cent of the county's overall budget and we are still looking into whether Castle Point could also benefit from sources of money in other budgets.

"The county is at last recognising that the borough has problems which need attention.

"We are wedged between Southend and Basildon, and while various road improvements go on there, we suffer the knock-on effects. We are a special case."

Castle Point's highways committee meets at 7.30pm on Monday, March 15 at the council offices in Kiln Road, Thundersley, to discuss key projects further.

Joy - Ray Howard leads the way onto the new slip road

Picture: NICK ANSELL

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.