Essex County Council has given the gree light to 63 road improvement schemes have been approved in Chelmsford, Brentwood and Rochford.

Thirty-two recommendations were signed off from the last Chelmsford City Local Highways Panel meeting.

It included: three safer roads (casualty reduction) schemes/investigations, five passenger transport schemes, six cycling schemes, five public rights of way schemes and 13 traffic management improvement schemes. Together they represent £428,420 (approximately 43 per cent) of the panel’s £1,000,000 budget, with the Panel scheduled to meet again on 2nd June in order to make further recommendations.

Councillor Rodney Bass, cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: “It is important for our roads to be as safe as they can be, so I am grateful to the Local Highways Panels for putting so much time into recommending such practical schemes.”

Councillor Roy Whitehead, chairman of the Chelmsford City Local Highways Panel, added: “‘We are pleased to be making progress by getting these schemes, which are so important to Chelmsford, agreed, but we know that there is still more that we can do.”

A total of 25 schemes were signed off following the Brentwood Borough Local Highways Panel meeting.

The schemes include six passenger transport schemes, 16 traffic management improvements schemes, two casualty reduction schemes and one public rights of way scheme. They represent £264,700 (or approximately 59 per cent) of the Brentwood Borough Local Highways Panel’s £449,000 budget.

Brentwood Borough Councillor Keith Parker, Chairman of the Brentwood Borough Local Highways Panel, said: “These carefully considered schemes aim to improve the journeys of all who use our roads.”

Six schemes were signed off following the Rochford District Local Highways Panel meeting.

The schemes include: three traffic management improvements schemes, two public rights of way schemes, and one casualty reduction scheme. They represent £114,900 (or approximately 27 per cent) of the Rochford District Local Highways Panel’s £427,808 budget.

County Councillor Colin Seagers, Chairman of the Rochford District Local Highways Panel, added: “I am very pleased these schemes met approval and look forward to recommending more later in the year.”