Work to improve access and reduce congestion at junction 8 of the M11 near Stansted Airport will commence this winter and is expected to last two years.

Essex Highways says the area around the junction is increasingly congested and lacking capacity at peak times.

Planned developments in the north of Bishop’s Stortford and local growth planned in Uttlesford and East Hertfordshire will lead to an increasing amount of traffic using the junctions in the years ahead as Stansted Airport continues to grow.

The scheme will improve access between the M11 and A120 with London Stansted Airport, Bishop’s Stortford, Birchanger Services and Takeley, reduce congestion and improve capacity on the M11 junction 8 exit slips and the A120 and support future plans for housing, employment and business developments.

Since 2015, Essex Highways has been investigating improvements to the A120 and slip road access to junction 8 of the M11. The studies show that the best short-to-medium-term solution would be to improve off-slip lane capacity onto junction 8 of the M11 with a widened A120 signalised junction, to help meet future network demand.

Following a successful bid in 2017 for the Department for Transport’s national productivity investment fund, Essex Highways say they are now in a position to move forward with the improvement plans.

The plans include adding an additional approach lane on the M11 southbound slip road to separate traffic to Stansted Airport, the A120, Takeley, motorway services, and Bishop’s Stortford.

Similarly, there are plans to add an additional approach lane on the northbound exit slip onto the A120, with dedicated access into Birchanger Green Services, to increase capacity and reduce queuing.

Another improvement will be replacing the existing A120/A1250 (Dunmow Road) roundabout with a signalised junction to address congestion issues and meet forecast traffic demand up to 2036.

Essex Highways anticipates that works will start this winter and should last two years.

There will be two public information events in September to share the details of the works with local residents and businesses.

These are on Thursday, September 13, from 12-6pm at Bishop’s Stortford Football Club and on Friday, September 14, from 2-8pm at Birchanger Village Hall.