It was developed with the aim of improving safety, cutting congestion and unlocking economic growth along one of the county’s busiest stretches of trunk road. Waste - MP Priti Patel said the government has thrown taxpayers' money 'down the drain' (Image: MP Priti Patel)Witham MP Priti Patel said: “Labour has thrown over £212million of hard-pressed taxpayers' money down the drain with their ill-thought-through decision to cancel the A12 Widening Scheme. “Alongside the cancelling of work on the A120 Dualling Scheme, Labour is starving Essex of the infrastructure it needs.” Cost - The Department for Transport figures show the A12 widening scheme cost taxpayers £212million (Image: NQ)The A12 row preceded another major project being scrapped – the A120 dualling scheme, which was meant to provide a safer, faster link between Braintree and the A12, and more widely Stansted Airport and the international port at Harwich. National Highways is now looking at smaller safety and capacity upgrades, such as junction improvements, signage and speed management.