Tag Archives: Colchester Council

Northern Approach Road bus lane work commences January 2023

𝗥𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱 (𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔)

The proposals for Colchester’s new Rapid Transit System (RTS) across the borough will start to come to fruition from the week commencing 16th January when Colchester and Essex Councils begin work on the scheme.

This phase of the RTS will implement a segregated bus lane from/to the A12 from/to the centre (and eventually beyond) and will also see a segregated cycle lane and pedestrian infrastructure, as well as green spacing. The initial works will prepare for this first phase. There will be traffic management in place during this period up until end of February (not closures), although this is limited to 10am-3pm to avoid peak travel time.

The mature trees along the NAR (yellow storage side) will mostly be removed with the promise of some being replaced and some of the mature trees being replanted.

Click below for full details of the plans

https://www.essexhighways.org/highway-schemes-and-developments/highway-schemes/multi-district-schemes/a120-a133-link-and-rapid-transit

https://d0cs.colchester.gov.uk/Publisher/mvc/listDocuments?identifier=DC&ref=222144

Keeping safe during fireworks season

Fireworks are an important time of year which is marked on many family calendars. It is always recommended to go to properly organised displays such as that held at Castle Park by King Cole Kittens or those organised at local schools such as the excellent display at Heathlands in West Bergholt.

It is not recommended or permitted to have random fire work displays in public open spaces, playgrounds or parks. Should an accident happen the person letting off fire works in a public place is liable and therefore not insured. The council certainly won’t be picking up the tab for someone’s carelessness. Nine times out of ten people leave all the fire work litter behind as well!

Please do not let off fire works in any of our parks or open spaces.

Issues in Mile End

With the school holidays now here, there are low level issues going on in Mile End keeping the team busy.

These include dealing with low level anti-social behaviour where residents face disturbances from children causing issues in our neighbourhood. This can be noise, leaving litter around, swearing or slightly more serious matters.

All issues must be reported to the police at the time of the incident and this can be done via 101, in an emergency 999 or via the Essex Police website.

If you have an issue you’d like to discuss please do get in touch with the team.

Bin replaced at Mill Road youth shelter

Following some anti-social behaviour issues at the Mill Road youth shelter where both bins were vandalised, following local intervention of the Mile End Team and local police, a new sturdy bin has been fitted.

The area is being monitored closely by the police and the Mile End team.

Phil Coleman said “We have been proactive in working with local youths and residents to try and find solutions to the recent issues encountered at the Mill Road youth shelter and basketball court. We will continue to try and ensure the area remains well used but recent issues must stop so everyone lives in the community in peace.”

A big thank you from Cllr David King

“A BIG THANK YOU!” said David King following his successful re-election on May 5th 2022. The Tory vote collapsed even further to a record low!

The results were:

David King (Lib Dem) 1,885 (66.3%) – up 1% on 2021
Tory 447 (15.7%) – down 3.2% on 2021
Labour 350 (12.3%) – up 1.5% on 2021
Green 163 (5.7%) – up 1.1% on 2021

David said “I am honoured to be re-elected again for a second term of four years to serve the great area of Mile End – where I live and work for all the community. It’s very humbling to achieve such a result!”

Your Mile End survey responses

We have been out knocking on thousands of doors in our area getting your views and feedback on Mile End.

Your priorities include the NHS (we fight for better pay & recruitment).
Climate change (we press Government to keep their promises. And do
all we can, from installing heat pumps & insulation, to tree planting)
Education and schools (where we press for better funding, a Personal
Education and Skills Account to help later life learning and
more apprenticeships). We also help schools directly with
grants towards gardens and forest schools and help with planners).

Locally you like what we do (thank you!) but ask we continue to chase the
County Council over road repairs and to help tackle litter. We do of course!

Shepherd Drive sign replaced

Small things matter, including correcting accidental damage caused by others.

For some reason an HGV delivering to the local Coop store on Nayland Road,
decided to take a wrong turn into Dickenson Road in August 2021, which
is a very narrow 20mph zone.

Martin Goss got onto the East of England Coop and after being pushed from pillar to post was eventually given details of the Manchester Coop who deliver for East of England Coop.

Martin said “I got the right contact after numerous emails and being pushed from pillar to post but tenacity pays off! The Coop insurers paid Colchester Council for a new sign and repair work where the verge was also badly damaged.

It has taken 5 months to sort this out but I am pleased to say the massive hole left and damaged sign have been repaired and rightly at nil cost to the taxpayer.

Residents are delighted with the new sign and repair.”

Mill Road youth shelter

Due to anti social behaviour at the Mill Road youth shelter, which has included
the smoking and dealing of drugs and late night noise, the sides to the shelter
have been removed to help discourage this behaviour.

The situation will be closely monitored and the police are aware of the issues.
If you witness or are concerned about any anti-social behaviour then please let us know.

Northern Approach Road bus lane

The planning application for the Northern Approach Road bus and cycle lane has finally been submitted for planning approval by Essex County Council.

Colchester Council planning committee will be the final arbiters on the scheme approval. Cllr Martin Goss called the scheme in for their approval as some
concerns are raised about the design.

Although the bus lane has been known about since the inception and build of the houses on the Northern Approach Road development in 2003 the whole design has changed as it now includes dedicated cycle lanes.

Some of the main concerns raised include the noise levels which will exceed legal limits of 68DB in places. The entire 8 foot high acoustic fence will be moved within meters of housing blocking out natural light and over 60 London Plain trees will be felled which have over 20 years of growth.

Essex County Council also propose removing a crossing at the southern end of the Northern Approach Road.

All of these issues have been highlighted as being totally unacceptable.

To comment or views the plans please visit https://www.colchester.gov.uk/planning-app-details/?id=b61d4bf2-54f0-eb11-bacb-000d3ade7c07#ValidationSummaryEntityFormView

Turner Rise Mcdonalds

The Turner Rise Mcdonalds planning application was recently approved by the Planning Committee at Colchester Council.

We spoke against the plan on various grounds including transport and the
impact it would have on the area at peak times. Unfortunately Tory controlled
Essex County Council signed off the traffic assessment submitted with the
application which included traffic modelling for a Retail Park in Croydon!

Dunelm Mill also objected at the last minute citing the Retail Park in Croydon
where they also have a store was smaller than Turner Rise and the Mcdonalds
store they were comparing it too was also smaller!

The store will be built and open in 2022.

Now the store is approved we need to ensure the impact on the area including extra litter is minimised.