Labour's decision to axe the A12 Widening Scheme has cost taxpayers' £212.5m so far, figures buried within the Department for Transport's annual report and accounts for 2025/26 have shown. The figures are given for a "constructive loss", representing the investment already committed to the Scheme, which Labour ministers cancelled last year, despite it receiving planning permission, overcoming a legal challenge and having funding committed to it. Witham MP Priti Patel said:
"Labour has thrown over £212m of hard-pressed taxpayers' money down the drain with their ill thought through decision to cancel the A12 Widening Scheme. Under the last Conservative Government, we worked hard dti develop the Scheme to improve safety, reduce congestion and support economic growth and it was fully funded. This disclosure, which Labour ministers have sought to hide for months, shows that the decision to axe the scheme will not only affect road safety and harm our economy, but has also caused taxpayers' to lose out with nothing in return. Alongside the cancelling of work on the A120 Dualling Scheme, Labour is starving Essex of the infrastructure it needs."
