Chance of new Colne bridge

CCC has praised Colchester Borough Council planners for a swift response to our plea for a new bridge to be made dual use.

The bike-ped scheme - shown in red on the plan above - is due to go before council officers in January.

CCC chairman Will Bramhill met council officers Richard Button and Chris Board in October.

Will was concerned that a bridge planned as part of a scheme for new apartments in the Hythe redevelopment was pedestrian only.

At the meeting, the borough put forward the view that cycle links were already good in the area.

However, Will argued that the bridge would link two neighbourhood shopping areas either side of the river, and a narrow bridge would pose a danger as some cyclists would use it illegally.

He said the bridge would give a better option to cyclists than using the shared-use path beside Colne Causeway, and it would also be a good link between Hythe Hill (New Town) and Distillery Lane (Old Heath), and homes on the eastern bank of the Colne.

Will said "I left that meeting feeling pretty down, as I didn't think they had seen my point of view.

"However, I was delighted to see the revised plans in the January agenda.

"We're not home and dry yet, but this scheme does now stand a good chance."