Colchester cycle lane plans cost Essex County Council £1.2m

Four different schemes around Colchester – one each in Station Way, East Hill, Head Street, and Crouch Street – have cost County Hall an overall sum of £1.2 million as part of the authority’s active travel scheme.

The plans have been drawn up by Ringway Jacobs, the Chelmsford-based highways service provider, which is contracted by Essex County Council to carry out roadworks and repairs.

Plans for the cycle lane which would have run through Crouch Street and across Balkerne Hill have proved the most expensive, with the blueprints costing £617,443.

Plans for cycle lanes in East Hill cost £370,747, whilst drawings for the same infrastructure in Head Street and Station Way cost £137,271 and £66,433 respectively.

Sir Bob Russell, who submitted the Freedom of Information requests, said the plans were “a waste of taxpayers’ money”.

Controversial – the Station Way cycle lane has received a lukewarm reception, even from the Colchester Cycling Campaign (Image: Newsquest)

He said: “Almost one and a quarter million pounds of taxpayers money has been spent on designing cycle lane schemes when all the evidence is that cycle-use is declining.

“Official evidence is that less than five per cent of people cycle, with cycle use in Station Way falling by 44 per cent from three years ago.

“Throwing more taxpayers money at a lost cause is irresponsible.

“The cost of implementing the three other schemes will run into several million pounds, and will result in more congestion for all other road users.

He added: “It really is time for Essex County Highways to stop this nonsense and stop wasting taxpayers money.”

A spokesman for Essex County Council, however, said the money does not detract from resources dedicated to maintaining roads because active travel funding is ringfenced.

He said: “All active travel funding for projects such as these is ringfenced by central Government and does not detract from highways maintenance.

“Designing a new cycle scheme requires more than lines on a road – it includes, for example, detailed surveys and assessments to keep people safe.

“We are building reliable facilities for the future which ultimately encourages residents to use them.”

'Car is king consensus has damaged public health'

COLCHESTER Cycling Campaign has welcomed spending on cycle lane plans, with a spokesman saying a “car is king” consensus has contributed to a health crisis.

With Essex County Council having spent more than £1 million on plans for cycle lanes, Colchester High Steward Sir Bob Russell said money is being thrown at "a lost cause".

But a spokesman for the cycling campaign said that  spending is dwarfed by huge expenditure into widening the A12 and constructing the A133 to A120 link road, the combined cost of which could be more than £1 billion.

He said: “All public works cost a lot of money – look at the proposals for the wider A12 at £1.2 billion and the 1.5-mile A133 to 120 link road at £100 million.

Enthusiastic – Colchester Cycling Campaign is keen to see more cycling infrastructure throughout the city (Image: Newsquest)

“The Ipswich Road roundabout came in at £8.5 million – those amounts are mind-boggling, especially for a layperson.”

He added: “They say that you get the transport system you plan for – in Colchester that has been years of “car is king” works.

“The result is jams, fumes and a public health tsunami that is building steadily and is poised to destroy the NHS.

“The bright spot, though, is that project designs [for areas such as Crouch Street] are in the bottom drawer and can be pulled out at any time.”