CYCLING campaigners are celebrating after Colchester was given £2million to improve cycling and walking routes across the town.

The funding will pay for a number of new schemes and help others to be completed.

Paul Avison, vice-chairman of the Colchester Cycling Campaign, said: “Any funding which goes into cycling and walking is good news.

“This is something we welcome.”

Essex County Council applied for the funding from the South East Local Enterprise Partnership.

The partnership and the Department of Transport have just agreed to the money, which will be added to the Colchester Local Sustainable Transport Fund.

Much of the money will be spent in the north of the borough.

A report from County Hall confirming the funding stated: “The purpose of the package is to significantly upgrade cycling and walking infrastructure in the north Colchester growth area.”

If follows major housing developments being built or planned in that part of the town.

The money will be spent on:

  • A new east-to-west route across Highwoods Country Park
  • Cycling improvements at North Station
  • Improvements to the Ipswich Road cycle route
  • Widening and resurfacing of Thornton Drive at Highwoods Country Park
  • Improved access along Station Way
  • A bridge replacement by Castle Park to stop cyclists having to dismount to allow pedestrians across
  • A new route for cyclists to link into the subway by North Station Road and Colne Bank Avenue, near Colchester Institute.

Mr Avison explained some of these were already part of existing schemes, but the extra funding would help.

He said the plan at Colchester Institute was to help remedy other issues and money for the bridge by Castle Park was additional funding to complete the scheme.

He added: “The money for Highwoods Country Park is welcome.

All the routes are well used and not just by commuting cyclists. The improvements in Ipswich Road have not been subject to consultation, although it seems like they are doing the right thing.

“It is well used and any improvements are good.”

Colchester was designated a Cycle Town in 2008, with £4.2million grant funding to promote cycling.

Money from Cycling England and Essex County Council was used to increase and improve official cycle routes and to train hundreds of people in safe riding.

But it ran out in 2011, when Cycling England was scrapped by the Government