Agenda item

Motion to Council - Renewal and Dualling of the A120 between Harwich and Horsley Cross

Meeting of Council, Tuesday, 3rd July, 2018 7.30 pm (Item 45.)

The Council will further consider the following motion, which was moved by Councillor I J Henderson and seconded by Councillor Calver at the meeting of the Council held on 15 May 2018 and which stood referred to the Cabinet for consideration and report:

“Following confirmation in writing from Martin Fellows, Regional Director Operations East Highways England, that the Wix By-pass is approaching the end of its anticipated life and that the long term aim is to renew this section of road, Tendring District Council writes to Essex County Council to advise ECC that it fully supports calls for the renewal and dualling of the A120 between Harwich and Horsley Cross and requests that ECC engages in the process of securing the necessary Government funding through the second Roads Investment Strategy Period 2020/25.”

NOTE: Cabinet considered Councillor Henderson’s motion at its meeting held on 15 June 2018. The relevant Cabinet Minute and the Cabinet’s recommendation to Council are contained within the Council Book.

Minutes:

Council further considered the following motion, which had been moved by Councillor I J Henderson and seconded by Councillor Calver at the meeting of the Council held on 15 May 2018 (Minute 25 referred) and which had stood referred to the Cabinet for consideration and report:

Council was aware that Cabinet, at its meeting held on 15 June 2018 (Minute 17 referred) had considered Councillor Henderson’s motion. The relevant Cabinet Minute containing the Cabinet’s recommendation to Council was contained within the Council Book.

Councillor G V Guglielmi formally moved, on behalf of the Cabinet, that Councillor Henderson’s motion be amended to read as follows:-

“(1) This Council recognises:

The national and international significance of the A120 strategic highway.
That the A120 connects Stansted Airport to the international ports at Harwich and is a key economic corridor essential to the economic success and vitality of much of the East of England.
That the A120 is one of the country’s only East-West highways.
That the A120 from Braintree to Marks Tey is wholly inadequate and should be upgraded to dual carriageway as soon as possible.
That the A120 from Hare Green to Harwich is wholly inadequate and should be upgraded to dual carriageway as soon as possible.

(2) This Council notes and welcomes Essex County Council’s support for the dualling of the A120 from Braintree to Marks Tey, but this Council –

Questions why no route option was even considered that would run north of the existing route.
Questions the logic of favouring a new route which connects to the A12 so far south, actually closer to Chelmsford than to Colchester, as such an option will lead to far more traffic on the A12 which is already beyond capacity and will lengthen considerably journey times on the A120.

(3) This Council welcomes and supports the announcement by Highways England Regional Director – Eastern Region, Martin Fellows that the A120 between Harwich and Horsley Cross is at last being proposed for upgrade and dualling and this Council will actively seek support as a matter of urgency from –

Our Members of Parliament;
Essex County Council, including those Members elected to represent Tendring; and
All key stakeholders in both the public and the private sector –

to help make the case that the upgrade, renewal and dualling of the A120 between Harwich and Hare Green is vital not just to the economic prosperity and well-being of the District of Tendring but that it will also positively impact a much wider area.

(4) This Council specifically requests that Essex County Council ensures that the necessary Government funding is secured through the RIS2 (Road Investment Strategy 2) 2020/25 and the A120 is made fit for purpose and upgraded to dual-carriageway status as soon as possible.”

Pursuant to the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.5(b), Councillor I J Henderson gave notice that he would be moving a further amendment at a later stage in the proceedings. The wording of that amendment had been agreed by himself and the Leader of the Council (Councillor Stock OBE) in accordance with the following resolution of the Cabinet made at its meeting held on 15 June 2018 namely:-

“That the Leader of the Council works with Councillor I J Henderson to review the final wording of the proposed amended motion, prior to the full Council meeting on 3 July 2018, in order to make it as effective as possible.”

The wording of that further amendment had been tabled prior to the commencement of the meeting.

Councillor G V Guglielmi’s amendment, on being put to the vote, was declared CARRIED and became the substantive motion.

Councillor I J Henderson moved and Councillor Calver seconded that the substantive motion be amended to read as follows [amended wording highlighted in bold]:-

“(1) This Council recognises:

· The national and international significance of the A120 strategic highway.

· That the A120 connects Stansted Airport to the international ports at Harwich and is a key economic corridor essential to the economic success and vitality of much of the East of England.

· That the A120 is one of the country’s only East-West highways.

·That the A120 from Braintree to Marks Tey is wholly inadequate and should be upgraded to dual carriageway as soon as possible.

·That the A120 from Hare Green to Harwich is wholly inadequate and should be upgraded to dual carriageway as a matter of urgency.

(2) This Council notes and welcomes Essex County Council’s support for the dualling of the A120 from Braintree to Marks Tey, but this Council –

·Questions why no route option was even considered that would run north of the existing route.

·Questions the logic of favouring a new route which connects to the A12 so far south, actually closer to Chelmsford than to Colchester, as such an option will lead to far more traffic on the A12 which is already beyond capacity and will lengthen considerably journey times on the A120.

·Our Members of Parliament;

·Essex County Council, including those Members elected to represent Tendring; and

·All key stakeholders in both the public and the private sector – to help make the case that the upgrade, renewal and dualling of the A120 between Harwich and Hare Green is vital not just to the economic prosperity and well-being of the District of Tendring but that it will also positively impact a much wider area.

Councillor I J Henderson’s amendment, on being put to the vote, was declared CARRIED.

The amendment, on being put to the vote as a substantive motion was declared CARRIED.

Supporting documents:

Cabinet Minute Cllr I J Henderson's Motion re A120 Dualling, item 45. PDF 356 KB