ESSEX County Council insists that its roadworks at Nevendon roundabout will be completed by Christmas despite concern that the work will not be finished in time or actually make an improvement to the road.

Every road off the Nevendon roundabout has been reduced to one lane as workmen overhaul the junction as part of an £8million junction widening project.

The project, which began in April, has caused chaos during rush hour on the A127 and other approaches to the roundabout.

Essex County Council has insisted the work will finish by Christmas but some people remain sceptical it will be completed on time.

Basildon Councillor Andrew Buxton said: “It looks like there is still so much to be done. It’s going to create more chaos, especially in the lead up to Christmas and the New Year as there will be even more cars on the road and more drivers wanting to use the junction. I don’t really know how far they have got with it.

“It’s really frustrating and I can’t understand why they didn’t do work overnight; it would have caused less disruption.”

Mr Buxton also believes the roadworks have affected shoppers trying to use Sainsbury’s in Cricketers Way, which is just off of the junction.

He said: “It’s a nightmare going to Sainsbury’s, it took me about 20 minutes just to reach the junction the other day and must have had an impact on the shop as shoppers don’t want to get stuck in traffic each time.”

Deputy leader of Basildon Council Kevin Blake is sceptical as to whether the work will even improve the junction.

He said: “It might be finished on time but whether they actually improve the area or not I’m not sure. I firmly believe that when they put the traffic lights in they hindered the traffic, so even if they finish it on time we’ll have to see what happens.”

Meanwhile, a nearby rehoming centre, the Dogs Trust, has decided to take matters into its own hands after noticing a considerable drop in visitors due to the roadworks.

The charity has urged people not to dismiss visiting its centre in Nevendon Road, Wickford. Last week, the centre posted signs along the road reminding motorists stuck in traffic to think of dogs in need of homes.

Manager Lisa Cooper said at least 60 dogs are in need of a new home at any one time and has asked potential new owners to simply allow extra time for their journeys and that, before the works began, the centre rehomed 20 dogs each week, but this has has dropped to 15.

She said: “Dogs Trust Basildon has seen an impact on visitor numbers since the major roadworks outside the Nevendon Road roundabout began.“Unfortunately, these works cannot be avoided when visiting the rehoming centre but we ask potential visitors not to be deterred by the additional journey time the roadworks may create, and to remember you may be waiting for a little longer in traffic.

“We are hoping the roadworks will be finished quite soon and once it happens, it will go back to normal. If we can’t rehome these dogs we can’t help other dogs either.”

A spokesperson for Essex Highways said: “The improvements to Nevendon roundabout aim to reduce congestion and A127 journey times, while offering convenient access to Basildon and Wickford.“Our engineers are continuing to work hard to remove the single lane restriction by the beginning of December, with the intention of having the road surfaced and operational before Christmas.

“Other minor works will then be carried out in early January.”