A DANGEROUS Southend road is set for a £3.5 million cash injection to reduce the risk of collisions.

Southend is set to receive the massive government funding boost to improve the A13 between Seaview Road, Shoebury, and western Southend border.

The road, which snakes through the city from east to west, has been selected by the government for funding as it is classed as one of the most dangerous in the country, according to data analysis by the Safer Roads Fund.

Councillor Steven Wakefield, responsible for highways, transport and parking, said: “This is fantastic news for everyone living along the A13 corridor and across the city.

“From Seaview Road in Shoebury, right the way through to the boundary with Hadleigh, we will make massive improvements to the road and junctions to improve safety.”

He added: “Parts of the A13 are very congested and not wide enough. We need to take a look at improving the junctions to make traffic flow clearer to drivers.

“Where the road gets wider up near Thames Drive we need to look at traffic calming measures too.”

The money will go towards redesigning junctions and improving signage and road markings in an effort to reduce the risk of collisions, which in turn reduces congestion, journey times and emissions.

The project forms part of a £47.5m national investment for 27 roads across the country.

To date, £100m has been provided through the government’s Safer Roads Fund to improve the 50 most dangerous roads in England..

The allocation has been based on data, independently surveyed and provided by the Road Safety Foundation, based on a road safety risk, looking at data on those killed and seriously injured alongside traffic levels.

Dr Suzy Charman, executive director of the Road Safety Foundation, said:  

“Systematic changes have already had a big impact on road death and serious injury, for example seatbelts and airbags protect lives when crashes happen. 

“In the same way we can design roads so that when crashes happen people can walk away, by clearing or protecting roadsides, putting in cross hatching to add space between vehicles, providing safer junctions like roundabouts or adding signalisation and/or turning pockets, and including facilities for walking and cycling.”