A large stretch of the A12 is set to be resurfaced as part of a £35miliion scheme to improve road quality.

The work, which will be carried out by National Highways, will take place between junction 25 for Marks Tey and junction 26 for Stanway and begin on Tuesday, August 30.

National Highways said: "Decades of use and hundreds of millions of journeys have left the road in next of vital upgrades, which will improve safety, boost ride quality and reduce noise for drivers who travel on this section every day".

The scheme will see the removal of the concrete road surface and some of the foundations, before rebuilding the road with recycled material and a new asphalt surface.

As well as resurfacing the road, the project will also see replacement kerbs installed, the drainage system refurbished, safety barriers replaced, new road markings and new reflective cat's eyes.

The work will happen in four phases:

  • Phase one will start at junction 25 eastbound and head up to junction 26 working in lanes one and two, with traffic in a contraflow.
  • Phase two will start at junction 25 eastbound and head up to junction 26 working in lanes two and three, with traffic in a contraflow.
  • Phase three will start at junction 26 westbound and head down to junction 25 working in lanes one and two, with traffic in a contraflow.
  • Phase four will start at junction 26 westbound and head down to junction 25 working in lanes two and three, with traffic in a contraflow.

The contraflow system will keep the A12 open during the day at a reduced capacity.

Preparation work to install the contraflow system on the A12 between Marks Tey and Stanway will begin at the end of the month which will require overnight closures in both the northbound and southbound carriageway.

About half of the old-style concrete roads in the East of England will either have repairs or be replaced during this period, including stretches on the A11, A14, A12, A120 and M11.