LABOUR councillors have urged caution over proposals to make the A120 a dual carriageway within five years.

Essex County Council’s Local Transport Plan has listed widening the trunk road between Hare Green and Harwich a priority with solutions for delivery from 2019.

The plans were discussed at a Cabinet meeting in Chelmsford on Tuesday and councillors believe it is unlikely to go ahead until investors can be found.

Leader of Harwich’s Labour Group Ivan Henderson said: “When I was Harwich’s MP I was told that it would take between seven and nine years from completing the design stage to reach the point when construction could begin and I am not aware of the Highways Agency having even started the design process.

“Local Labour councillors have been campaigning for improvements to the A120 for years and would be overjoyed if work could be completed within five years.

“However, the people of Harwich have been let down too many times for us to believe this claim without evidence to back it up.

“It is the responsibility of the Highways Agency to evaluate the plans and it is reliant on developers to come forward.

“It is very important to manage expectations on an issue such as this and as much as the Labour group would welcome it, the expansion is probably back to square one without developers.”