£69m secured for Army and Navy upgrade

A CGI image of how the new Army and Navy hamburger roundabout junction will look once complete.

We have conditionally secured £69 million for upgrades to the Army and Navy junction in Chelmsford.

The proposed Army and Navy Sustainable Transport Package includes a hamburger roundabout. This is a new roundabout with a road through the centre of it. The package includes bus priority measures as well as walking and cycling improvements. It also features a 350-space expansion of Sandon Park and Ride and a 500-space expansion of Chelmer Valley Park and Ride.

We will also be part funding the £81 million project, alongside Chelmsford City Council. The Department for Transport approved our outline business case for the project and agreed to contribute £68.75 million of Major Road Network funding, subject to certain conditions. The funding is dependent on planning consent and other processes, as well as a full business case.

Councillor Lesley Wagland OBE, Essex County Council’s Deputy to the Leader with principal accountabilities on Major Infrastructure Projects and Freeports, said:

A huge amount of hard work has gone into getting to this stage and we are absolutely delighted to have now been conditionally awarded the funding needed to deliver this truly transformational project.

The Army and Navy Sustainable Transport Package will deliver enormous benefits; improving journey times, reducing delays and supporting economic growth in the area.

The redesign of the Army and Navy junction, alongside bus, walking and cycling, and park and ride improvements, will ensure we provide a long-term and sustainable solution at this vital gateway.

We also need to provide better options for people to travel, especially for shorter journeys where we want walking or cycling to be the natural choice. This project will do just that, helping encourage people to travel in and around the city in safer, greener, and healthier ways.

A planning application is set to be submitted before the end of the year. Construction is scheduled to start in Spring 2025 and be completed in 2028.

Keep up to date with the latest on the Army and Navy Sustainable Transport Package.