Plans to spend £8million improving two roads in Halstead have suffered a major blow after funding was refused.

In August, the South East Essex Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) announced it had submitted proposals to improve the A1124 between Colchester and Halstead and the A131 Braintree to Sudbury to the Government for funding on behalf of Essex County Council.

The idea, which had been planned to be carried out between 2016 and 2019, included congestion relief, traffic management and safety measures on both the roads.

The specifics of the plans were never released but £4 million was going to be spent on each road.

However, it has now been revealed that as far as SELEP is concerned, “that’s it” as the scheme is unfunded and so cannot continue.

The scheme was not selected by government for inclusion within the July 2014 Growth Deal, or the 2014 autumn statement.

It is now down to Essex County Council to see if it wants to seek the £4million required to fund the scheme from other areas.