OVER half a million pounds will be spent on making the streets around two Wivenhoe schools safer with plans afoot for a new zebra crossing, speed bumps, and red lines.

Essex County Council is investing a combined £556,000 in the changes for Bowes Road and Broomgrove Road which are next to the Millfield Primary Schools and Broomgrove Schools.

Work is due to begin early next year. 

Outside Bowes Road there will be a new zebra crossing, a single red route marking, more 20mphs speed limit signs, and speed cushions on Rectory Hill.

While on Broomgrove Road speed cushions will be replaced with chicanes, road markings which narrow and slow traffic, new single red route markings, and reinforced 20mph signs.

Resident Nikki Ward, 43, who lives near Millfield School said: “I think it’s great they are doing this work and we are being looked at.

“People can get up to quite a lot of speed up Bobbitt’s Way and then continue all the way up the road past the school, so speed is the biggest issue for me.

“I think the red line is really good as it does get really congested, but I feel they have not considered the wider points. The traffic calming on Rectory Hill I think would be better placed on Bowes Road.”

Plan - Councillor Mark Cory (Right) with two of Essex County Council's 'Safer, greener, healthier' officersPlan - Councillor Mark Cory (Right) with two of Essex County Council's 'Safer, greener, healthier' officers (Image: Submitted)

Wivenhoe and Essex County Councillor Mark Cory has campaigned for this investment for nearly two years, adding: “I am pleased we have got half a million, a good level of investment.

“What I’m less happy about is the private contract with Ringways Jacobs which means though the values are high, what you get delivered is not as much you think.”

Mr Cory added: “Red routes mean turning yellow lines into red lines making it an automatic fine and easier to report with a camera - meaning more frequent stopping of bad parking.

“This is something that is used in London which is now spreading." 

Mr Cory also said though he is “sympathetic” to the campaign to make Wivenhoe 20mph entirely that the money is solely for the two sites.

A spokesman for Essex County Council said officers recently had discussions with Mr Cory providing him a follow-up email with further information and said they are happy to have “a further discussion” with him.

The spokesman also said projects and spend between Essex County Council and Ringway Jacobs is also scrutinised and agreed on by the council to provide value for taxpayers.

Ringway Jacobs was contacted for comment.