CYCLING in Greenstead and near Colchester Garrison will be transformed over the next 12 months with a £1.4million upgrade.

Work is set to start within the next month on improvements on the Greenstead estate, aimed partly at getting more people to cycle to Hythe railway station.

Paths will be either created or upgraded along Avon Way, across St Andrew’s Avenue and along the Salary Brook Trail, which links the estate with Essex University.

A further £1.4million has already been spent on routes in High Woods and the surrounding area, as part of the £4.2million Cycling Town project.

The next few months will see Colchester North Station linked with the town centre, via Leisure World.

Kevin Bentley, Essex County Council’s newly-appointed cycling champion, said the aim of the Cycling Town project was to make it as easy as possible for people to either take up cycling or do it more often.

He said: “We are very keen to promote cycling, not just as a very healthy lifestyle but also as an alternative transport system as well.

“Where people can use bikes, we would encourage them to do so. I cycle 10 miles a day and more at weekends and, given my shape, if I can do it, others can do it as well.”

Last year Colchester was chosen as one of 11 cycling towns across the country and awarded £2.1million of Government funding, matched by Essex County Council.

One of the main aims is to increase the number of people cycling regularly by at least 75 per cent.

Lyn Barton, Colchester Council’s councillor responsible for regeneration, said work would also start soon on increasing the security for bikes and the number of cycling spaces at Colchester North Station.

There would be space for more than 200 on the north side and 250 on the south side.

“That’s achieved by demolishing the existing customer services office and the comms room,” she said.

“We will have capacity for almost 500 bicycles, which I think is double what we have at the moment.

“I feel that’s really positive.”