The government has granted the £5m needed for a full feasibility study into improving the A120 road which links Harwich and Colchester with Stansted and the M11.
George Kieffer, chairman of the Haven Gateway Partnership, said: “This is momentous day for those who have toiled on the A120 for so long, and for those in the region who want to see the best transport infrastructure for our region. The business and economic case for improving the A120 is overwhelmingly strong: £1.3bn in extra growth, journey times cut by up to 56 per cent and some of the most dangerous bits of road in the country to be made safe. The announcement of the study by David Cameron follows a long-running campaign led by Essex County Council and the Haven Gateway Partnership to improve the road.