TALKS are being held over £3.25 million plans to tackle congestion and improve road safety between Colchester and Clacton.

Essex Highways has proposed to carry out improvements to the Frating and Weeley roundabouts along the A133.

It is part of a strategy to improve safety, reduce congestion, improve journey time reliability and increase sustainable travel patterns.

Essex County Council and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership will fund the improvements and documents have been submitted to the county council’s planning team.

Safety improvements will be made between the Frating roundabout, where Main Road and Colchester Road meet, and the Progress Way roundabout.

There are six roundabouts along the A133, the main route between Colchester and Clacton. The proposed scheme for the Frating roundabout includes providing a left turn slip lane from Spur Road to Colchester Road, and entry on to the roundabout will be increased to two lanes from Colchester Road east and west.

A report to Essex County Council said: “Works will not require any land take outside of the highway boundary.

“The proposed works would encroach on surrounding highway grassland and scrub verges to accommodate the widening of the carriageway on each arm of the roundabout.

“The character of the proposed scheme is in keeping with the scale and use of the existing land.”

The Weeley roundabout joins the A133 from Colchester in the west and Weeley in the east.

It provides the main access route to Frinton and Clacton.

The plans are to increase the northern approach to two lanes with “stacking capacity” for at least 37 cars.

There will also be a re-alignment of the A133 junction with Crown Lane to prevent vehicles from making right turns from Crown Lane.

Essex Highways said: “Main construction works at Weeley and Frating roundabouts are anticipated to begin in late autumn 2019 and will be undertaken in a phased approach over a period of approximately 16 weeks.

“Throughout the various phases of the scheme temporary traffic management will be necessary and lane restrictions will be in place to support the works.

“Overnight closures may be required at different stages and locations along the route however these will be limited and advertised in advance on site signage.

“Residents and businesses directly affected by the works will be contacted separately.

“While efforts will be made to keep traffic congestion to a minimum throughout these improvements, it is recognised that works will be undertaken in traffic sensitive areas and normal traffic flows will be disrupted.”