Colchester, Essex, is set to proceed with the next phase of the A1331 link road after £65 million in national government funding was secured on 7 March 2026. This investment will support the completion of the road designed to connect the A120 and A133, a project seen as vital for local growth and easing traffic congestion.
The funding follows joint lobbying by Colchester MP Pam Cox and Sir Bernard Jenkin, the MP for Harwich and North Essex. According to Colchester City Council, the investment is a major step in delivering the infrastructure required for the region’s long-term development plans.
The new road is a prerequisite for the Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community, a major project planned to provide up to 7,750 new homes along with employment spaces and community facilities. Local policy dictates that funding for the link road must be secured before significant house building can commence at the site.
Once completed, the A1331 is expected to reduce traffic in areas such as Highwoods, St Johns, and Lexden by providing a more direct route for drivers. The project aims to improve regional connectivity while ensuring the road network can accommodate the thousands of new residents expected in the coming years.
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