Colchester Town Centre

This package of schemes will deliver initiatives to encourage and make the most of sustainable public transport, cycling and walking transport modes in Colchester, aimed particularly at corridors from the western and eastern side of the town through to the town centre, and at improvements within the town centre. The objectives of this scheme are:

• To reduce congestion at key points on the network
• To make best use of existing public transport services
• To promote, encourage and support sustainable journeys along the corridors
• To improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions
• To promote healthy and active lifestyles
• To support housing and job growth.

Brief description

This package of schemes for Colchester Town Centre and its approaches, focuses on traffic and congestion reduction, bus priority and traffic management measures, to improve the economic vitality of the town centre, while delivering operational improvements across the wider town centre area.

Brook Street Roundabout

This scheme consists of replacing the existing mini-roundabout with a signalised junction. This will involve minor changes to the geometry of the junction in order to introduce traffic signals equipment. (The scheme was originally identified within the Ipswich Road S106 project.) Prior modelling has demonstrated that this will improve traffic flow and queue lengths in this area.

Town Centre Pedestrian Links & Bus Service Priority Improvements

Improved pedestrian facilities are to be introduced between the bus stop for the new Park & Ride service in the High Street and the town centre in order to provide a better welcome to the main shopping environment. This will include lighting, streetscape and accessibility improvements to Bank Passage, Pelhams Lane and St Nicholas passage, as well as improved route signage. Removal of pinch points associated with bus stops and taxi ranks, reviews of parking and loading and rationalisation of bus stops to improve movement around the town centre for bus services.

Lexden Road Bus Lane

This requires carriageway widening in order to introduce a new eastbound bus lane along Lexden Road / Southway between the junction with Glen Avenue / Lexden Road and the Maldon Road roundabout. It also consists of the provision of bus priority signals on Southway at the eastbound approach to the Maldon Road roundabout. (The scheme was originally identified within the West Colchester and Stanway Travel Strategy document.) As this lane is in addition to the current two-way flow, bus journey times will be improved without adversely affecting car users. This improvement should aid bus patronage.

Stanway Cycle Package

The scheme consists of a scalable package of cycle improvements which have been identified, within the West Colchester and Stanway Travel Strategy document, as part of a wider network of improvements in the Stanway / Lexden area. The cycle improvements will offer either segregated or on-road lane designated cycle facilities which will cater for cyclists that are not normally confident alongside general traffic.

Town Centre Signal Improvements:

• Queen Street – Modifications to traffic signals on High Street to improve access to East Hill.
• St Botolph’s Street – Removal of the pedestrian crossing over the right turn from St Botolph’s Street to assist buses. Relocation of the signal controlled crossing over St Botolph’s Street away from the priority junction.
• St John’s Street/Head Gate – Replacement of obsolescent traffic signal equipment and ducts and the introduction of a dedicated cycle phase within the traffic signals. Traffic signal improvements to incorporate a change in operation to reduce lost time, thereby increasing efficiency of operation.

£579m of investment to East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Medway, Southend and Thurrock

In total the SELEP Growth Deal with Government has brought £579m of investment to East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Medway, Southend and Thurrock. Over the lifetime of the Growth Deal (2015-2021) we aim to deliver 78,000 jobs and 29,000 homes across the SELEP area, with the Deal set to attract a further £960m of investment into the South East over the six year period.

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