How will you get to see the U's?

From September 2008, Colchester United will be playing at their spanking new stadium at Cuckoo Farm, north Colchester.

Colchester Council has allowed the stadium to be built before a new junction to the A12 is complete - which had previously been a condition of work getting under way.

CCC originally opposed the Cuckoo Farm site as we believe it is too remote from the town centre and could have encouraged greater car use.

However, our complaints at the time led to the inclusion of a dedicated bus road beside the Northern Approaches.

We also believe that Colchester United are to unveil "green ticketing" - three fans to a car before they get a car parking space with their tickets and, perhaps, bus ticketing deals.

Residents near the ground have been assured that there will be car parking bans on match days.

Walking the two miles from the town centre to the stadium (or the mile from North Station) will be relatively easy, but CCC has pointed out that conventional shared-use cycle routes will be a waste of time owing to the number of pedestrians around on match days. One such path had been proposed for Boxted Road.

CCC was thinking that a special cycling route through the new housing development at Severalls ... until an incredulous county council officer pointed out that she expected to see cyclists sharing the dedicated bus road. Now, there's luxury!

:: If you have any view on this story, please mail william at bramhill dot net.