ROAD bosses behind plans to widen the A12 have reassured villagers its plans are thorough, despite huge concerns raised.

National Highways is set to widen the major route to three lanes between Chelmsford and Marks Tey in the coming years.

Under the blueprints the road will become three lanes in both directions from junction 19 at Boreham to junction 25 at Marks Tey.

Plans for the second junction at Kelvdeon – junction 24 – will then see it moved back west along the A12 to link up with Inworth Road.

Gazette: Dangerous - youngsters use Messing's roads to walk to schoolDangerous - youngsters use Messing's roads to walk to school

It is also being moved because a new bypass is being built between Kelvedon and Marks Tey which will see the A12 between the two villages moved south.

But campaigners from the Messing and Inworth Action Group say the plans will make the villages a “rat run” for lorries who could overwhelm the small country roads which serve the area.

Group founder Andrew Harding told the Gazette the group has suggested an alternative, backed by MP Priti Patel, to the proposed junction 24, but it has fallen on deaf ears.

It would see the route follow the line of the former railway and pass to the west of Inworth before rejoining the B1023 south of the village.

A report reads: “This alternative route would have the effect of diverting traffic away from Inworth itself where road widening, surfacing and drainage works would be required under the National Highways proposal to bring the road up to standard.

Gazette: Country roads - lorries could drive along here under the blueprintsCountry roads - lorries could drive along here under the blueprints

“The roads through Inworth and Messing would therefore only serve local traffic and would be signposted as such.”

Road chiefs insist the plans are needed, not only to ease congestion but to make the road safer, and they have been thoroughly thought through.

A National Highways spokesman said: “The designs to deliver the much needed improvements to the A12 have been driven by detailed technical work and consultation with those living and working locally.

“Traffic flows have been modelled and we can reassure those living in Messing that our plans have been carefully assessed.

“We remain confident the proposed improvements to the A12 between Chelmsford and the A120 will lead to an overall reduction in traffic using local roads."