Army and Navy flyover in Chelmsford set for demolition

Essex County Council is preparing to demolish Chelmsford's Army & Navy flyover and specialist firms are coming forward to express an interest in the work. ECC announced last month that the flyover would stay closed after a detailed engineering report revealed new defects within its concrete foundations.

ECC is now pressing ahead to have the structure removed as soon as possible and has invited interest from specialist contractors, while also continuing to work on a long-term solution to ease congestion and delays at the junction.

Crews will begin marking up the roundabout in the coming weeks ahead of the flyover removal and signage will also begin to be taken down.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: "The Army and Navy is a crucial gateway to Chelmsford and, together with the support of the Army and Navy Taskforce, we are working incredibly hard on options for a long-term solution at the junction.

"In the meantime, we are looking to remove the flyover as soon as possible and I am delighted we have already had such a strong response from companies interested in carrying out the removal works.

"I would once again like to thank people for their patience and support as we look to deliver a long-term solution that not only improves the junction, but also encourages more sustainable travel and avoids putting additional pressure on other roads in the city centre."

To help manage congestion at the Army and Navy junction in the shorter term, various measures are being put in place and the community has been encouraged to play its part by avoiding peak periods or switching to other transport modes such as bikes, buses or walking, where possible.

More information about travel options in Essex, including car sharing, Park and Ride services, walking and cycle routes, and bus services, is available at: www.essex.gov.uk/travelplanning

For the latest news on the junction, visit www.essex.gov.uk/armyandnavy or follow @EssexHighways or @Essex_Travel on Twitter.