A BUSINESS expert has called for mooted improvements to the A12 to be carried out as soon as possible after nearly 50 crashes where people were hurt were recorded in one year.

Statistics showed that in the Colchester section of the A12 - between the Ardleigh Interchange and Kelvedon- there were 49 smashes on the road where people were hurt in the 12 months leading up to the end of January 2019.

In total, seven of those crashes on the 13-mile stretch were categorised as causing serious injuries and one was fatal.

Liam Holding, 24, died on the London-bound carriageway near Colchester in September when he applied the emergency brake on his motorcycle which locked the wheels and he slid into a nearby lorry.

David Burch, director of policy at Essex Chambers of Commerce, said the figures were probably just the tip of the iceberg.

“We get a lot of feedback on the roads and the A12 is one of four roads which need improvements to keep up with the traffic flow.

“There will be accidents which have not been recorded by these figures – even if there are no injuries and just shunts or breakdowns they nevertheless cause problems on the roads.

“People in business, and I would imagine all motorists, are fed up of waiting in queues on their way to their destinations becoming late for appointments or with deliveries becoming overdue.

“We live in a world of ‘just-in-time’ deliveries and being late can have serious implications.”

Last month, Essex County Council announced it has submitted a bid to claim a £546million jackpot from the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund to help with three key transport projects in the county - including improving the A12 between Kelvedon and Marks Tey which would cost £229m.

It would mean the trunk road is realigned between junction 24 at Kelvedon and junction 25 at Marks Tey.

County Hall plans to move the entire road eastwards to open up more land for the proposed West Tey garden community.

The improvements would also see each side of the realigned stretch of the A12 extended to four lanes to alleviate traffic and ease congestion once the new A120 is built near to junction 23 at Kelvedon.

Further changes would see the notoriously busy junction 25 at Marks Tey, where the A120 begins, ripped up and completely redesigned.

Mr Burch said the road had to be made better imminently.

He added: “We need to see the improvements which have been mooted sooner rather than later.”