IN PICTURES: The removal of the A127 Bell junction footbridge

Works saw the road closed on Saturday night to allow specialists to take down the old footbridge – part of the project which aims to ease traffic flow, reduce queuing and alleviate local air pollution on the often busy A127. 

Aftermath- all photos by Better Southend

Improvements include seeing the footbridge – which was ageing and did not comply with disability requirements due to the stepped ramps – removed.

Now, this will allow room for a new dedicated lane onto Rochford Road and a pedestrian island on Hobleythick Lane.

Future look

Southend Council appointed contractors Eurovia Infrastructure for the job, with works planned to continue through to summer 2021.

Key features of the project, besides removing the bridge, include installing new pedestrian crossing facilities at ground level, building a new dedicated left-turn lane onto Rochford Road and extending the right-turn lane onto Hobleythick Lane.

Plans will also include seeing a ban on the underused right-turn onto Rochford Road to free up more “green light” time for motorists going straight ahead along the A127 in both directions along with the addition of new landscaping in the green space at the north west of the junction.

Between December and February next year, once the Hobleythick Lane work is complete, the contractor is set to install the new pedestrian crossings.

From next Spring, between March and May 2021, teams will install the new dedicated slip lane into Rochford Road and extend the right-hand turn into Hobleythick Lane.

And if works remain on track, the project is expected to be finished around August next year – from June, the last thing to complete will be resurfacing the carriageway and commissioning the traffic signal.

The upgrade is funded with £4.3million from the Government’s Local Growth Fund, with the remainder of the cost being met through the council’s capital budget.