UK’s longest-running roadworks slammed as ‘pure waste of taxpayer money’

Roadworks have become an increasingly common phenomenon across the UK, rising by 40% between 2019 and 2023, but at least the majority of projects soon pack up and clear off, leaving an improved road surface in their wake. That hasn’t been the case for the community of Witham, a small town in the heart of , however, who have been forced to contend with traffic lights and building materials near one of its busiest roads since 2015.

Hatfield Road near the A12 has had the dubious honour of being named ‘ longest-running roadworks scheme and still hasn’t been completed, despite over half a million pounds already being shelled out on traffic management. National Highways told the that the decade-long lane closure was due to safety concerns around the ability of adjoining Woodend Bridge to “support the weight of traffic”. Plans to install a replacement bridge could be carried out before next year, reports suggest, and would cost around £1.6 million.

Some have taken an ironic approach to the long-running project by ranking it as the town’s top attraction on TripAdvisor. “My kids love this part of their morning journey,” one local wrote on the review platform. “Long unnecessary red light waits give them a perfect opportunity for a bit of bird spotting … Remember your binoculars and a pack lunch.”

“For followers of Zen, you [can] sit in tranquility, reflecting on your life as you wait in the endless queues,” another joked. “You can watch the traffic zooming by on the A12, knowing that soon, you will be able to join them.”

“Lovers of haute cuisine [can also] explore the delights of the garage shop just before the bridge,” they added. “They have a wonderful collection of day-old sandwiches and warm pies.”

For most residents, however, the spectacle has become an embarrassment, especially since a Freedom of Information request by the uncovered that £473,196 had been spent on contraflow measures since 2019 alone.

“It’s quite embarrassing when you read the news and see you’ve got the longest-running roadworks in the country,” Tina Townsend, who runs the Witham Hub Community Centre, said.

“It is ridiculous,” she added. “As someone who loves the town, I don’t really think this is the thing I want us to be remembered by.”

Steve Thomas, who runs a local driving school, added: “I’ve seen first-hand the amount of traffic that can build up here because of the lights.

“They’ve been there a decade now and it’s just too long. It’s a pure waste of money that is costing the taxpayer.”

National Highways said: “We acknowledge the duration that traffic management has been in place for the safety of those using the bridge and apologise for any inconvenience.”