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Chelmsford Army and Navy flyover to be knocked down by April

News imageBBC Army and Navy flyover, ChelmsfordBBC
An engineering assessment found the Army and Navy flyover in Chelmsford city centre to be unsafe

Work to demolish a 40-year-old city centre flyover will begin next month after a contractor was appointed.

The Army and Navy flyover in Chelmsford was closed last year after structural reports found it was unsafe.

The removal work is expected to be completed by April and Essex County Council is still working on a long-term solution for the junction.

The single-lane flyover allowed drivers to bypass a five-way roundabout used by up to 60,000 vehicles a day.

Much of the project will take place at night to limit disruption, the council said, though some Sunday closures may be necessary.

News imageArmy and Navy flyover, Chelmsford
The flyover is a single lane road, which was open to traffic in one direction or the other, depending on the time of day

Kevin Bentley, cabinet member for infrastructure, said: "The Army and Navy flyover has been a well-known feature of the Chelmsford skyline for 40 years and its removal will be a historic milestone for the city.

"The Army and Navy is a crucial gateway to Chelmsford and we are also continuing to assess potential options for a long-term solution at the junction."

The structure was closed indefinitely in July. It had previously closed in September 2018 after an inspection found two of its supporting columns were damaged.

A taskforce has been set up to consider the future of the flyover and roundabout, which the council said is operating "significantly" over capacity.

Clarke Demolition Company has been appointed to carry out the demolition work.

News imageArmy and Navy flyover
The flyover opened in the 1970s and allows traffic using Essex Yeomanry Way and Parkway to avoid the roundabout on a raised highway