New safety measures planned for the A414

News / Sat 26th Jul 2025 at 09:57am

ESSEX County Council, with the support of Essex Police and the SERP, is set to implement new road safety measures on the A414 to help reduce fatal and serious collisions.

The measures include speed restrictions, signing and the introduction of average speed cameras along the road, which links Chelmsford and Harlow.

New restrictions will cover 14.5 miles of the road, from the Widford roundabout in Chelmsford to the existing 30mph speed limit east of the junction with the B181 at Tylers Green.

The proposed changes will see sections where the speed limit is currently 60mph reduced to either 50mph or 40mph, depending on the location. The current 50mph limit would also be reduced to 40mph. The existing 40mph and 30mph limits would not be affected.

These new speed limits will be enforced by the introduction of average speed cameras, which will be operational in the coming months.

The measures are supported by Essex Police and the Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP).

Last year, there were five fatal collisions on the A414 and two further fatal collisions in 2025, to date.

In a joint statement Councillor Tom Cunningham, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Sustainable Transport, Mr Adam Pipe, Head of Essex Police’s Roads Policing Unit, and Councillor Lee Scott, Chair of the Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP) Governance Board, said: “We are deeply saddened by the recent death following a collision on the A414.

“Every death on the Essex road network is a tragedy, and our thoughts are, as always, with their loved ones – their family and friends.

“We are taking steps to reduce the number of fatal and serious collisions on this road by reducing the speed limit and also introducing improved speed enforcement. Together, these measures will improve safety for all road users

“As partners in the Safer Essex Roads Partnership, we are committed to working together to make the A414 a safe road for everyone who travels on it, as we work towards our Vision Zero ambitions to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries.”

8 Comments for New safety measures planned for the A414:

Bob's your uncle

2025-07-26 22:58:13

What about the 414 from Potter street to Gates roundabout old Harlow especially between Mark Hall and Gates. Cut it d down to 40 with average speed and noise cameras.

Tim

2025-07-27 06:11:08

414 between Harlow and Chelmsford has always been dangerous, how on earth has it taken so long for the authorities to relize this, it beggars belief.

Kevin Grimes

2025-07-27 08:40:38

The A414 in its entirety needs to be dualled Some places 3 lanes, like Malden Chelmsford Harlow Hertford Hatfield & Hemel The road warrants it

Frank

2025-07-27 21:54:21

The crashes are due to the slow drivers and no overturning points, widen the road, don’t slow it down for the majority

Tim

2025-07-27 22:14:38

It's impatient drivers that cause the majority of crashes, as a delivery driver i see all kinds of stupid impatient driving, some overtake on the sharp bends on the 414 which is simply crazy, nothing is that important to risk your life or somebody else's.

Guy Flegman

2025-07-28 06:51:34

Increased journey time are costing our economy billions. My company send engineers all over the country. Before 2015 we could send someone 200 miles away to do a few hrs work and return reliably in 1 day. Since then we now have to book a hotel and pay extra overtime and expenses just because of our failing road network, that means journey times are double and sometimes triple these extra costs are passed on to our customers who in turn pass them on to you the consumer. This also makes the country less productive as workers are spending longer sitting in traffic instead of working.

tim

2025-07-28 10:28:53

nothing to do with the extra 5 million cars on the road from 2010 to 2025 then, more land is being turned into roads to help the ever increasing number of cars/vans,etc and increasing population