Travel route to be built between Greenstead and town centre

The plans rubber-stamped at County Hall will connect Greenstead and the University of Essex with Colchester’s town centre.

It comes as Essex County Council was awarded £1.3 million funding from the Department for Transport in a bid to make the town safer, greener and healthier.

The funding is the first of a phased approach to support the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan for the town centre.

The route, which has also received match funding from the Colchester Town Deal, runs from the High Street down East Hill, starting at the junction with Queen Street and progressing down East Hill.

It finishes where the route turns off to become a fully off-road route towards the university.

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The new funding is part of the county council’s ambition for Essex to become the walking and cycling county.

This includes making it easier, more convenient and safer for residents to walk or cycle, reducing traffic congestion, cutting air pollution and improving residents’ physical and mental wellbeing.

Essex County Council’s highways boss Lee Scott said: “Additional funding coming Colchester’s way will result in even more choice for residents to cycle and walk safely across town.

“Our ambition is to make it easier for more people in Essex to walk and cycle, especially for shorter journeys.

“We need to be bold if we’re to reduce traffic congestion, cut air pollution and improve road safety in the county.

“This will ultimately benefit everybody as well as the environment, not just now but for future generations.”

Colchester Council’s leader Paul Dundas added: “Improving walking and cycling between the town centre and the university is crucial to the town’s development and renewal.

“Joining them up in a coherent way is vital to building the local skills base, integrating the town to the campus and adding value to the student experience.”