Update on ‘Safer, Greener, Healthier’ corridor from Colchester Mainline Rail Station to Colchester Town Centre which allows social distancing

Further details about the corridor from Colchester Mainline Rail Station to Colchester Town Centre have become available.

An Essex Highways spokesperson said: “These safer, greener, healthier measures have been introduced in response to the Governments instruction to provide and promote social distancing measures both within town centres and their key accesses to support public health and reduce the spread of Covid19.

“The main station to the town centre corridor along North Station Rd is considered an important transport corridor with high footfall, especially as we see the return of non-essential retail from the 15th June.

“There have been discussions with the district council, Colchester BID, and the measures proposed have been road safety audited before being implemented on site.

“Deliveries to businesses are allowed. Some parking spaces have been left to support businesses, but to create space to enable social distancing, particularly where the footways are narrow, it has been necessary to reduce the provision.

“The 20mph speed limit has been introduced along the entire corridor to help promote a safer environment and recognise the reduction in the overall road widths.

“The initial measures are created using traditional traffic management equipment; This ensures compliance with legislative requirements for the highway, while also enabling the initial measures to be easily amended if necessary.

“The intention is that over the next few weeks the measures will be monitored and feedback through the official website and email address will be reviewed before the current temporary barriers are replaced by green barriers, to distinguish them from roadworks and highlight the safer, greener and healthier aspects of this scheme.

“This replacement traffic management equipment will reflect the use of more bespoke coloured signing, lining and bollards, which will be easier to maintain and reflect a more aesthetically pleasing appearance to the temporary social distancing measures in place.” 

People can share comments on the measures with Essex and Colchester councils at SGH.Routes@essex.gov.uk

For all the details about the active travel measures see the full map and scheme details on our website at: www.essex.gov.uk/safer-greener-healthier