New Colchester road markings direct drivers to town centre

Essex Highways has undertaken a series of resurfacing works in Balkerne Hill, Westway, and Middleborough, but the new road markings at one of the city’s busiest roundabouts direct drivers to the town centre.

The error has left the city’s high steward and former MP, Sir Bob Russell, unimpressed.

Colchester was officially made a city in 2022 as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations, and the status was affirmed officially later that year during a ceremony at the town hall.

Marking – the new paint directs drivers to the town centre, despite Colchester becoming a city two years ago (Image: Credited)

Sir Bob, who served Colchester as an MP from 1997 to 2015, criticised Essex Highways for what he termed “a glaring mistake”.

He said: “Obviously it will take years for all signage to be changed from town to city, usually only when highway works allow this to happen, but here we have a case when the opportunity should have been taken by Essex Highways to acknowledge that Colchester is now a city and state this on the road markings.”

Sir Bob continued by calling for Essex County Council to devolve powers for road infrastructure to lower tier authorities like Colchester Council.

He said: “Such a glaring mistake, a snub to Colchester, would not have happened if Colchester Council was still in charge of highways rather than the centralised operation which Essex County Council has created since it took highways from local control in Colchester.”

Glaring – Sir Bob Russell called the new road marking 'a glaring mistake' (Image: Newsquest)

County councillor for Abbey ward, Lee Scordis agreed it was another reason to devolve powers to Colchester Council, but said changing the road marking to ‘city centre’ was not high on his list of priorities.

He said: “I imagine it’s a simple mistake – there aren’t many cities in Essex.

“I imagine Essex Highways were using an old sign rather than using taxpayers’ money to use another one.

“My biggest concern is that the repair work is done to a good standard.

“If the works are ongoing, it would be great to get a sticker over ‘town centre’ to say ‘city centre’ instead, but it’s not a big priority for me – the biggest priority for me is repairing all the potholes across Colchester.”

Essex County Council was unavailable for comment.