Cancelled A12 work leaves homeowner 'gutted'

A woman who lost her home through compulsory purchase says she is "absolutely gutted" a proposed road widening scheme will now not go ahead.

Veronica Strathie, who is in her 80s, had lived at her home in Kelvedon, Essex, near the A12 for 21 years.

The £1.2bn project to widen the A12 near Chelmsford was cancelled due to costs, the government revealed.

"I am absolutely gutted because they have completely messed our lives up," said Ms Strathie - who now lives in Maldon.

"We lived in our bungalow for 21 years and we had just one neighbour who lived there for 51 years," Ms Strathie added.

"My husband ran a business from our property and now everything has come to an end, and they are not going to do the A12."

The scheme was set to widen a 15-mile (24km) stretch of road from Chelmsford to the A120 at Marks Tey.

Rishi Sunak's government approved the project in January 2024, but the current government cancelled it, accusing the previous Conservative government of promising infrastructure projects with "no plan to pay for them".

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander had told the BBC: "Only those projects that are fully costed, affordable and will deliver a return on taxpayers' money will be given the green light under my watch."

Ms Strathie added: "We now live in another house in Maldon, and we are not settled.

"My husband had a heart attack just after Christmas this year through the stress.

"If they are not going to do the A12 then give us our home back, where we are happy."

Ms Strathie said she would "not give up" trying to move back to her property in Kelvedon.

In an interview with BBC Essex, Dame Priti Patel, Conservative MP for Witham in Essex, said the decision had "been a long time in the making".

"This will have implications for the whole of the county," she said.

"We are the economic powerhouse and backbone of the British economy."

Talking about the government's decision to stop the project, she said: "They are happy to proceed with the A66 and as a result of this I have written quite a scathing letter to Heidi Alexander."

In response to Ms Strathie's story, she said: "I would be more than happy to meet with her and try and help in whatever capacity I can.

"This goes right through my constituency. There are a handful of constituents that have been heavily affected."

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