Colchester campaigners vow to keep fighting for Crouch Street West

Residents, cyclists and business owners who make up The Friends of Crouch Street West are currently at loggerheads with Essex County Council.

They fear if proposed changes to the road are allowed to materialise the safety of pedestrians and bikers will be undermined and businesses will struggle.

One of the main sticking points for the protesters is the suggested removal of the herringbone car parking set-up in favour of parallel parking spaces.

The project, part of the council’s Safer, Greener, Healthier campaign, would also see the number of parking spaces in the area slashed from 24 to 20.

However, Colchester Council has said free parking will be made available for visitors to Crouch Street West in nearby St Mary’s carpark.

It is also understood a pedestrian underpass in the area could also be filled-in, meaning people would have no choice but to use the Balkerne Hill crossing.

The initial plans put forward for Crouch Street West previously resulted in shop owners staging a protest before a review of the blueprints was commissioned.

Despite council bosses saying residents are now happy with the proposals, campaigners from The Friends of Crouch Street remain unconvinced.

Tony Cheeld, who founded the group and hopes to get back on his bike after his new hip has bedded in, said: “Drivers cannot parallel park.

“This change would introduce risks of injuries to pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists, but with herringbone parking the worst you can do is dink the car next to you.

“They are also going to take eight parking spaces away which will go below the critical minimum of empty spaces need and so businesses will be impacted.

“This is one of the last places in Colchester which does not have an empty shop and it is a lovely little community – residents I have spoken to are against it.”

The revamp is being paid for using £7.4million in funding which the council secured from the Government’s Active Travel Fund.

If the plans are signed-off, new designated cycle routes will be established and resurfacing works will be carried out on the area’s existing roads and pavements.

“There is so much more that could improve the realm of our Crouch Street West for less than half the budget of the proposal chosen,” added Mr Cheeld.

Lee Scott, Essex councillor responsible for highways maintenance and sustainable transport, said: “The safety of pedestrians, cyclists and disabled users of Crouch Street West has been the utmost priority throughout the process of identifying the best option for investing Active Travel England Funding in Crouch Street West.

“This included consulting accessibility groups who raised real concerns around the current layout and use of herringbone parking. This type of parking is not recommended by the British Parking Association.

“Given this, the recommended option I have put forward replaces herringbone parking spaces with parallel parking spaces, which give drivers far better visibility of the road, other users and the space around them.

“The new parking arrangements will also allow for additional loading bays and dedicated accessible parking, which is not available in Crouch Street West currently. 

“I believe the recommendation implements changes that will create a space that is safer, greener and healthier for pedestrians and cyclists.”