COLCHESTER Council says the creation a new link road and rapid transit system in the town is "essential to supporting housing and economic growth".

The authority has published its response to the Essex County Council consultation exploring options for the £99 million infrastructure improvements.

The funding has been secured from the Government to progress the projects, which will help facilitate the creation of a new up to 9,000 home garden community between Colchester and Tendring.

In a report the council said the link road was of "strategic importance" to the borough but said it must meet two criteria.

"The council recognises the need for the link road to serve a wider than local function and as such its design will need to ensure the efficient flows of traffic to and from the A120 and A133," it states.

"[It must] facilitate suitable primary access to the garden community, not encroach on to the developable area and ensure that the road is designed in an appropriate way in line with the principles of the proposed garden community."

The council said route Option 1, of which there are three variables travelling from a new roundabout on the A133 to Strawberry Grove in Elmstead, better met the objectives.

Colchester Council's response states the rapid transit system (RTS) is a "critical" piece of infrastructure for the town and north Essex as a whole.

The report states: "The future route options of the RTS need to be considered from the perspectives of a variety of users, e.g. future garden community residents, existing public transport users and persuading existing car users to switch to the RTS.

"These perspectives need to be recognised in decisions made on the route of the RTS as well as other considerations relating to the operation of the service including journey times, number and locations of stops, frequency of service, and integration with the existing transport network."

The plans include a new Park and Choose site located near Essex University but there are several route options for its path through the town centre.

The authority has not selected a preferred route but said the final RTS must be "reliable with consistent journey times".

It has called for the options to be considered in conjunction with a Colchester Transport Strategy taking into account issues like the potential reduction of traffic in Colchester High Street.

Visit essex.gov.uk/ link-road-and-rapid-transit for more information.