What is it like living near the UK's longest-running roadworks?

Ten years ago Zayn Malik left One Direction, Richard III was reburied and the average pint cost £3.31. In the Essex town of Witham, a set of temporary traffic lights were turned on for the very first time. Despite a decade passing and it being revealed that at least half a million pounds has been spent on the traffic management, no work has started on upgrading Woodend Bridge. What is it like for those living near the National Highways' longest-running roadworks?

It is early on a Monday morning and the queues are already building.

For many commuters, business owners and residents, it has been the same story since 2015.

They are all waiting to cross Woodend Bridge, which runs over Essex's busiest route - the A12 - and leads to its London-bound carriageway south of Witham.

Most of the motorists sitting bumper-to-bumper on Hatfield Road would not have been able to point to the bridge on a map a decade ago.

But nowadays it has become the go-to hangout for those wanting to lose 20 minutes during rush hour.

A Freedom of Information response shows £473,196 has been spent on the traffic light contraflow since 2019.

Such is the bridge's notoriety, it has been jokingly ranked Witham's number one attraction on review site TripAdvisor.

One tongue-in-cheek review reads: "Although it can be slightly annoying to be stuck at these lights, the pure joy and euphoria you feel when the light is green is out of this world."

For many living in the town, just under six miles (10km) north-east along the A12 from Chelmsford, the situation has gone beyond a joke.

"It's quite embarrassing when you read the news and see you've got the longest-running roadworks in the country," says Tina Townsend, who runs the Witham Hub community centre.

The roads of south Witham are places she chooses to avoid now, but her lorry driver husband is not so fortunate.

"It is ridiculous," Ms Townsend adds. "As someone who loves the town, I don't really think this is the thing I want us to be remembered by.

"We should be known for something nice like the river walk."

The roadworks are the longest-running on National Highways' 4,500-mile network, which covers mostly motorways and major A-roads.

The Freedom of Information request, made by the BBC, has uncovered the £473,196 figure for post-2019 costs.

National Highways has been unable to provide costs from 2015 to 2019.

Steve Thomas, who has run a driving school in Witham for eight years, says he warns his students about the "permanent/temporary traffic lights".

"If I have an early morning driving test in Chelmsford, I have to think about how long it's going to take us to get out of Witham and get to the test centre on time," he says.

"I've seen it 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."

While taking traffic over the A12, the junction also has a turn leading to a kennels and cattery, as well as farmland.

However, motorists returning from these destinations have found their side of the road blocked by concrete barriers since three crashes badly damaged the bridge between 2014 and 2015.

Despite the bridge's Witham-bound traffic being less frequent than those accessing the A12, residents say the traffic lights treat them as equally busy.

"They're inconveniencing the majority for the sake of the few that actually come that way," adds Mr Thomas.

Alistair McColm, who runs the kennels and cattery, previously told the BBC his staff often received abuse from motorists over delays caused by the roadworks.

Mr McColm, who was approached to comment on this story, also pointed out that farmers needed to use the bridge back into Witham as well.

Witham Town Council leader Phil Barlow blames "incompetent" traffic management for raising tensions.

"It is ridiculed by residents, but it's also a frustration and a delay," the Labour councillor says.

"They seem to have a highway management vehicle parked there every morning, but they don't seem to do anything.

"You can queue back past the Aldi roundabout because of the traffic management over the bridge.

"That adds a two to three-minute delay but actually, that delay causes a huge amount of anger and frustration for residents."

The councillor promises there will be a "huge sigh of relief" across the town when the works are completed.

Phil Harris, a 64-year-old energy sector worker, will be among them.

He says his daily commute from Witham is 15 minutes longer every day thanks to the traffic lights.

"Some of these projects are like a black hole, money just gets thrown at it," he says.

"But what's the alternative - close the bridge and make everyone use the country lanes instead?"

Responding to the BBC, National Highways says it cannot begin work immediately due to uncertainty about the A12 widening project.

It explains the decade-long lane closure has been necessary because the bridge is "unable to safely support the weight of traffic".

Highways chiefs believe "complex" work to install a replacement bridge beam will begin at the end of 2025 and finish next year, at a cost of £1.6m.

"Much of our focus has been finalising a design that causes the least disruption to drivers who rely on the A12 that runs underneath," a spokesman says.

"We acknowledge the duration that traffic management has been in place for the safety of those using the bridge and apologise for any inconvenience."

But what will those who have been blighted by the works do when they are finally removed?

Mr Thomas jokes he will "drive up and down it enjoying the clear road", while Barlow hopes to drop off an 11th birthday cake before the lights are scurried away.

Yet many are not in a hurry to forget the cult attraction.

One former commuter posts online: "I miss the days of sitting, staring at the solitary red light, waiting for the mystery invisible traffic to pass in the opposite direction."

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