I am very concerned regarding reports in the Gazette concerning development of a park and ride scheme for east Colchester.

Such a scheme would be likely to damage the existing rail service from Clacton and Walton to Colchester Town station, encourage more people to drive to the outskirts of Colchester and would not be a sustainable transport solution.

While there is a lack of capacity on road approaches from the east, there is considerable spare capacity on the parallel railway line, which has recently been upgraded by Network Rail at a cost exceeding £100million.

Trains along this line call at mid-Tendring villages as well as serving the urban areas on the coast.

Thus an embryo park and ride scheme already exists for east Colchester in the form of this railway.

What is needed now is to improve and extend station car parks and to improve the train services. Currently rail journeys from the coast into Colchester Town are too slow and infrequent.

For example, in the past trains have been scheduled from Frinton to Colchester Town taking 25 minutes, and there is no reason why such timings should not be replicated.

Also, with a journey time between Colchester Town and Wivenhoe of seven minutes, residents of Wivenhoe have already been asking for frequency of trains to be increased.

The single platform at Colchester Town is capable of accommodating a much higher frequency of service, although a second platform would improve flexibility.

However, funding from the garrison redevelopment intended for improvements at Colchester Town station was diverted, by Colchester Borough Council, to Hythe station, where of course, it will not benefit anyone in the Garrison development.

The Ontrack Rail Users’ Association has already submitted proposals for modest improvements to rail services between Clacton/ Walton and Colchester to National Express East Anglia.

For sometime the group has also been campaigning for Sunday services from Walton to Colchester Town, connecting at Thorpe-le- Soken with the Clacton to Liverpool Street service.

Now that Network Rail’s upgrade work, often carried out on a Sunday, is almost complete, it is hoped this can be progressed.

Not only would this enable shop staff and shoppers to take the train to Colchester, it would also enable those living in the St Botolph’s area to take the train to Walton or Clacton for a day trip on Sunday.

It is vital we should make full use of the significant investment that has recently been made by Network Rail in this line by improving train services and ensuring that the railway plays its full role in supporting the businesses of north-east Essex.

Tony Baxter
Ontrack Rail Users’
Association,
Ferndown Road
Frinton