The noise nightmare for people living next to the busy A12 road is over.

The Highways Agency said today that the notoriously noisy stretch of the A12 between Lexden and Stanway in Colchester is scheduled to be resurfaced in the next financial year.

The news means that as early as April work could start on improving the lives of residents plagued by the deafening thump of HGVs, but the roadworks will inevitably cause some delays for drivers.

Hundreds of thousands of pounds - which is likely to stretch into millions - will be spent on the two miles of road.

It is yet to be decided exactly what surface will be used but all materials the Highways Agency replaces today have noise-reducing qualities.

A spokeswoman from the agency said today: "A study has been carried out on the entire stretch of the A12 from the M25 to the A14 and the Highways Agency does agree that the noise between Lexden and Stanway is a problem."

Over the years the stretch has been patched so often, causing an uneven surface which makes vehicles, especially lorries, bump up and down adding to the problem.

The spokeswoman added: "We think the noise is caused by the various different concrete surfaces used over the years.

"When it is done is subject to funds being available, but it is scheduled for the next financial year starting April 1999."

The announcement today was welcomed as "brilliant" from Colchester MP Bob Russell who just this week lobbied the agency again over the road.

He and other Colchester borough councillors have visited the homes abutting the road and he described the noise as "horrendous" and "awful".

He added today: "This is brilliant news and hopefully the end of a long campaign. It's great."

Sonia Lewis, Conservative councillor for Lexden, said simply: "Yippee! Yippee! Yippee!."

She added: "Commonsense has prevailed at last for the residents of Lexden and Stanway."

Gladys Webb's home backs on to the offending stretch of road and she too was pleased.

"To get rid of the noise of the A12 will be sheer bliss," she added.

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