a12: london to the broads

All photographs in this gallery are kindly provided by Philip Roud.

Providing the main route between London and the East Anglian coast, the provides access to the major ports at Harwich, Felixstowe and Lowestoft (in conjunction with the A14, of course). Yet, despite being such an important route, it isn't as good as it could be.

Whilst the section between the M25 and Ipswich is completely dualled and entirely grade separated, the road just cannot handle the amount of traffic it carries. The reason is because this road should have either been replaced by a motorway... or upgraded to one. Instead, the road we have today has been formed through the stitching together of numerous bypasses.

As the motorway option is never likely to see the light of day, a start has been made to widen the road to three lanes each way. But even this is piecemeal... large stretches of three lane carriageway with some short sections featuring the old two-lane formation in between, creating bottlenecks where the road narrows.

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Ipswich to London: Southbound
	Capel St. Mary Bypass, on the approach to Junction 32a.
	Capel St Mary services, sited in the middle of Junction 32a.
	South of Capel St Mary.
	A little further south from the previous photograph, heading into a dip.
	Just beyond the other side of the dip.
	Approaching the staggered junction with the B1068 at East Bergholt.
	Approaching dangerous bend after B1068 junction, Suffolk
	Taking on the dangerous bend between the B1068 and B1029 junctions.
	Approaching the Junction 30, just outside Stratford St Mary.
	300 yards countdown marker for Junction 30.
	Almost at Junction 30, with an old bus heading uphill in the other direction.
	Sign advising of Junction 30, with the start of the slip road directly behind.
	A straight run just beyond the other side of Junction 30.
	Passing Stratford St. Mary a bit further up from the last photograph.
	Approaching Junction 26, which is the intermediate junction on the Stanway Bypass section of the A12. This section has been extensively refurbished, including the installation of a concrete barrier in the central reserve.
	An old concrete surfaced section of the Stanway Bypass, just beyond Junction 26.
	A little further up the Stanway Bypass.
	Coming towards the end of Stanway Bypass, near to Junction 25.
	Just after Junction 25, where the A12 has joined the course of the old Roman road from Londinium to Camulodinum.
	A little further down from the previous photograph.
	Here the road follows the course of the Roman road - the London Road, just before Kelvedon, Essex.
	Rivenhall End, approaching the Little Chef.
	The diverge point for the exit to the Little Chef at Rivenhall End.
	Boreham Bypass, Essex.
	Boreham Bypass, Essex.
	Lane allocation signs, approaching the A1023 at Junction 12.
	Signpost advising of the forthcoming junction with the M25 motorway (Junction 11).
	Just about to head under the M25, with the slip road diverge for the roundabout.
	Eastern Avenue, suffering from severe congestion due to roadworks.
London to Ipswich: Northbound
	Eastern Avenue approaching Gants Hill.
	The approach to Junction 14 at Margaretting.
	Chelmsford Bypass just after Junction 15 and about to go over the railway.
	Boreham Bypass, Essex
	Boreham Bypass, where it runs parallel to the railway line.
	Another shot of the Boreham Bypass.
	The original course of the A12, approaching Witham at junction 21.
	Heading through Rivenhall End.
	The Little Chef at Rivenhall End South.
	Approaching another Little Chef, this time at Feering.
	The Little Chef at Feering.
	The old concrete section of Stanway Bypass.
	Looking north into Suffolk from the Stratford Road overbridge in Essex.
	A Shell petrol station near Langham.
	Approaching Stratford St. Mary, on the Essex side of the border.
	Sign for Yarmouth - 66 miles - with Stratford overbridge in the background.
	Approaching the sharp bend just before B1068 junction.
	Approaching the B1068 junction at East Bergholt.
	approaching the Pound Lane junction, Suffolk.
	Harvest Moon Cafe (ex-Happy Eater) at Capel St. Mary, Suffolk
	Approaching Capel St. Mary services, sited within Junction 32a.
	The start of the descent down to Copdock Interchange.
	Deceleration markings on the approach to Copdock Interchange, where the A12 and A14 meet.
Ipswich Bypass: The / A14 Multiplex
	Approaching junction 56 for the A137.
	Approaching the Orwell Bridge on the eastbound A14.
	Crossing the river Orwell.
Beyond the A14: North towards the Coast
	Heading northbound along the Ipswich Eastern Bypass
	Further north on the Ipswich Eastern Bypass.
	Northbound approaching the BT tower at Martlesham Heath.
	On Martlesham Bypass.
	Another photograph whilst on the Martlesham Bypass.
	Heading north on the first single carriageway section of the Woodbridge Bypass.
	Dualled section on the Woodbridge Bypass, passing the parallel Shell garages.
	Heading north on the second single carriageway section of the Woodbridge Bypass.
	Ufford Bypass with the B1438 overbridge ahead.
	Wickham Market Bypass.
	Heading north near Marlesford, just before Little Gemham.
	Here the A12 passes through Stratford St. Andrew.
	Heading north through Farnham.
	A dual carriageway heading north, on the approach to the A1094 junction.
	Northbound approaching Saxmundham.
	Saxmundham Bypass.
	Saxmundham Bypass.
	Approaching the B1121 junction whilst still on the Saxmundham Bypass.
	Heading into Yoxford, Suffolk.
	Heading through Yoxford.
	Heading further into Yoxford, with the King's Head PH on the right.
	Heading north, having just passed the A1120 junction.
	Ancient direction and mileage sign <Yarmouth 30/London 93>, located in Yoxford.
	Approaching the level crossing at the Half Way Cafe, near Darsham.
	Sign advising of the impending junction with the A144.
	A Little Chef at Darsham, looking south.
	The Little Chef at Darsham.
	Heading north at the junction of the lane to Thorington.
	Passing the White Hart Inn at Blythburgh.