THE county's tourism boss says a bid for £10million of EU funding to improve the A120 could help "unlock the economic potential" of Essex and the eastern region.
George Kieffer, chairman of the Haven Gateway Partnership and also chairman of Visit Essex, believes the government should rubber-stamp Essex County Council's recent bid for cash.
"The A120 is currently a low standard road suffering from capacity constraints, heavy congestion, high accident rates and poor journey reliability," he said.
"This bid for funding, if successful, will naturally help to unlock the economic potential, not just of Essex, but of the eastern region and also the south-east of this country."
Essex County Council has submitted a bid for the cash, which it says could be used for safety works and to develop options for route improvements, including the 12-mile stretch between Marks Tey and Braintree, where land has been earmarked for a 14,000-home garden city.
Sites earmarked for safety improvement include the junction at Horsely Cross for Tendring Europark, Millennium Way slip road and Galleys Corner roundabout, in Braintree, the Earls Colne junction, and Pellens Corner, Little Bentley.
Cllr Rodney Bass, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation, said: "What is needed is endorsement to improve the A120 and this funding will help secure its development.
"A proposal has been submitted to the Department for Transport for response and approval. This bid is critical to the development of the A120.
"This is a project which will also enhance the transport network of the EU as a whole, creating faster and safer travel between, into and out of the UK through the transport hubs of Stansted and Harwich.
"At a time of economic austerity, we need barriers to trade and private sector growth and investment to be removed."
