A £25m scheme to ease traffic at one of south Essex’s busiest junctions will have a contractor appointed by the end of the year, despite the plan facing a predicted funding gap.

Essex County Council has confirmed it has now received offers from firms to carry out the sweeping changes at the Fairglen Interchange, where the A127 and the A130 meet.

The project has been hit by a series of delays with the county council initially aiming to start work in the “spring or summer” this year.

Interchange - The Fairglen Interchange Interchange - The Fairglen Interchange (Image: Newsquest)

County council bosses were unable to confirm an updated timeline for when work would start and a council report from November 2023 revealed it is predicting a “funding gap” in the project’s future.

Once complete, the scheme would see a one-way link road allowing drivers to skip several miles of the A130 and join the A127 before travelling to Southend without using the Rayleigh Spur roundabout.

Basildon Council’s independent group leader, Kerry Smith, has said that the improvement works “have to happen”.

He said: “When trying to attract big business to south Essex, while the A127 is like a big car park, it is hard to make the case for investment.

“Fairglen, and anything that improves the traffic has to happen and it makes the case for devolution.

“The main arterial road in an area of economic growth, it has been dragging on.”

He added that a two-tier council system has restricted Basildon and has “failed to deliver.”

Initially, the scheme was designed as a short term solution however a design for a long-term fix is yet to be developed.

Rochford Lib Dem councillor, Jim Cripps, added: “I think one of the concerns is when they do the job, the way it is laid out is significant and the junction is busy, it will be painful because of the disruption.

“I know this initial project was called a short-term solution and some time in the future there will be a longer term solution, what does that mean?”

A spokesman for Essex County Council said: “Tenders have now been received and are currently being assessed. As there are commercial sensitivities around this process, we are unable to divulge any details around costs until the process has concluded.

“We look forward to appointing a contractor by the end of this year with a specific timetable due to be confirmed after appointment.”