Longest-running road construction still going after 11 years

By Faye Mayern

Motorists and residents who have endured the UK's longest running roadworks for the last 11 years have now been told it could be another 12 months before the project is finished.

Drivers have suffered long commute times and businesses say they have lost trade due to the marathon repairs which first started on a bridge over a busy dual carriageway in Witham,. Essex, in 2015.

Locals using the Woodend Bridge which goes over the A12 have been living with a lane closure and temporary traffic lights for more than a decade.

The bridge's infrastructure became damaged after three crashes on the A12 - which is one of the busiest carriageways in the country.

Works to repair the bridge were held back over confusion with the A12 widening scheme which was due to add a third lane to ease congestion.

But the plans were axed in July last year after budget constraints and residents have been living with gridlocked traffic over the bridge for the past 11 years.

A town council meeting earlier this month revealed that works are now not expected to be completed until at least the 2027/2028 financial year.

The roadworks have received their own pinpoint on Google Maps and a TripAdvisor page with 52 five-star reviews, poking fun at 'Witham's most famous attraction'.

Local AJ Grand-Scrutton, who owns Dlala gaming studio, said his employees were often caught in stand-still traffic stemming from the works.

He said: "My four to eight minute commute can take 45 minutes if there's a second set of roadworks which compounds the issue.

"People trying to get from our studio to the station, which is a two minute drive, end up getting stuck at the top of the road.

"It does send a message. We have business with Disney, Nintendo and Microsoft which we're bringing to the Witham economy.

"When those so-called traffic lights have been there more than ten years, it sends a message about how seriously Witham is being treated.

"We're trying to turn this little corner of Essex into a creative area and this contradicts it."

AJ has concerns that his partners in the gaming industry could be put off by the long-running works - especially as the only licence holder for the Mickey Mouse outside of the US.

At least half a million pounds has since been spent on traffic management while no work was started on upgrading the bridge.

He added: "The messaging is clear that if we were a bigger city with a higher level of traffic, would they have left the traffic lights there for years? Probably not.

"The person who put them up may have been in primary school when they first started setting them out.

"It is ridiculous and there is genuine frustration in the town. It shows the people of Witham actually care."

A Witham Town Council meeting held in April revealed the bridge had not been repaired due to its expected demolition with the proposed A12 widening project.

Plans to add a third lane to the major road were scrapped in July 2025 over budget constraints - estimated at around £1.2bn.

Motorists had previously complained about heavy congestion and stand-still traffic on the road, with Tory MP for Witham Priti Patel branding the axing as a "disgrace".

According the town council meeting minutes, a roundabout project had been prioritised which has pushed any works to the 2027/2028 financial year.

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said the bridge was needed due to its links with a local farmer, who can't travel on the A12 with farm vehicles.

They said: "It does have an impact on businesses around here and nobody wants to sit in traffic in a place which should be free-flowing.

"With the A12, nobody knew what was going on. One minute they were going to do it [widen], the next they weren't.

"Farmers rely on the bridge to get over to their fields on the other side, they can't be taking a tractor on the road.

"It can be chaos. It can take more than half an hour to do a 5 minute journey.

"Temporary should mean temporary - or otherwise they should find another way of dealing with it."

Reviews left on the bridge's TripAdvisor page have poked fun at the decade-long roadworks.

A one-star review said: "I drive over Woodend Bridge every single day, which means I’ve now spent enough of my life at these temporary lights to qualify for residency."

While a five-star review added: "The excitement when approaching the bridge is palpable. Will the lights be red or green?

"For sure as you approach and they flicker off green you’ll be sure to run that red light as no one in 10 years has ever come the other way."

Priti Patel MP wrote to transport secretary Heidi Alexander about the delay in addressing the bridge’s structural issues after the A12 widening scheme was cancelled.

Had the scheme not been cancelled, “work would already be underway transforming this road, making it safer, easing congestion and supporting economic growth”, she wrote.

Highways bosses say "complex" work to install a replacement bridge beam is slated for this year.

A National Highways spokesperson said: “Repairing the integral structure of this bridge is complex and much of our focus has been finalising a design that causes the least disruption to drivers who rely on the A12 that runs underneath.

“We acknowledge the duration that traffic management has been in place for the safety of those using the bridge and apologise for any inconvenience.”