As one of eleven ‘Cycling Towns’, Colchester was awarded funding of £4.2 million between 2008 and 2011 to create a much improved cycle network, and encourage more people to cycle. We firmly believe a cycling-friendly town would make for a healthier and happier one.

Last updated: February 8, 2012. For latest photos see Colchester CycleStreets.
Contact: Malcolm Mitchell

Essex County Council Neglect Cyclists (Again)

The snow came down overnight on Saturday, February 4 in Colchester, and hasn't been seen since (at least not in the sky). Monday most of the main roads were alright, and by Wednesday (today) the main roads are all fine (bar the inevitable enlarged pot holes and cracks), as are a lot of the side roads. It's a real shame that the same cannot be said of Colchester’s cycle paths (most of which are shared-use).

It’s the third year in a row that cyclists are forced to struggle about town, taking risks cycling on dangerous, frozen cycle paths, or to take alternative routes (on road), or simply abandon cycling altogether and jump in that cosy car.

From left (photos taken 08/02/2012): Salary Brook Route leading to the A133 and Essex University; Sustrans National Cycle Network, Route 51, at East Bay allotments; shared-use path between Broadlands Way and Cowdray Avenue; Cymbeline Way, close to the station and Colchester Institute; Sustrans Route 1, over the bridge (gritted!) is Route 51; Route 51, other side of the bridge; Route 51, Riverside Path; adjacent to Colchester Borough Council’s Rowan House, close to Colchester Institute.

Has Colchester learnt nothing from being a ‘Cycling Town’?

Colchester Cycle Counts

Following a Freedom of Information request, for all automatic and manual cycle counts in the life of ‘Cycling Town’, we are in a position to evaluate (to an extent) the success of Cycle Colchester.

If we look at the most basic measure, taking a 7-day average of the 24-hour period, then across the year there is no discernible difference in most locations; only in the summer do we see a significant rise in cycling levels, but way short of Cycle Colchester’s targeted 75% increase in regular cyclists, and it must be noted not in every location — some have actually fallen.

Clearly a 75% increase in cycling levels was wholly ambitious — even unrealistic, given the respective rise in cycling levels the first wave of ‘Cycling Demonstration Towns’ saw — so we don’t think this target should be used as a barometer of success or failure. However where cycling levels have decreased, serious questions should be asked as to why, and how those locations can see a turn-around in the future without the funding that was in place for the three years of ‘Cycling Town’.

The Daily Gazette picked up on this story some months later: Has Colchester’s £4.2m cycle plan failed to deliver its promise?.

Colchester Town Station Cycle Parking: Gone and Forgotten

Five months have passed since the removal of Sheffield stands and BykeBin’s from Colchester Town station. At the time we were told it would be a priority… then we were told the Council was ensuring the replacements were installed in the correct place… then we almost choked when we read the Council was looking to install the replacements some 70m away from the station!

It is plain to see we have been fobbed off for the past five months, while cyclist commuters are forced to lock their bikes to railings which still carry notices stating, “no parking of cycles”.

We propose the obvious solution: install ten Sheffield stands in one of the seven parking bays directly outside the station (preferably the closest one to the ticket office). They are always cordoned off, and at no time all in use. This would cause no disruption to those who use the parking bays but would make a huge difference to the Colchester commuter that cycles (or aspires to cycle), and at the same time more than double the previous number of Sheffield stands.

Sustrans Celebrates 15 years of the National Cycle Network

The National Cycle Network’s 15th anniversary in September will be a muted affair in Colchester, if the obstruction at University Quays of Route 51 continues. No thought or consideration whatsoever has been given to the cyclists who use this popular route, it has simply been cordoned off and those who use it must accept that and dismount.

Meanwhile, we have learned that the proposed cycle lane along Hawkins Road has been scrapped, apparently due to excessive cost. Anything less than a fully segregated cycle lane along Hawkins Road is inadequate, and until that is incorporated, it should not form part of Route 51. Excluding Hamblion Transport (pictured), at least four businesses based on Hawkins Road rely on HGV’s, making it an intimidating and dangerous road to cycle.

‘Cyling Town’ Exposé

The pictures Cycle Colchester don’t want you to see:

Compare and contrast to those taken two months ago.

The Disgrace of National Bike Week

Around the country, towns and cities have been putting on bike breakfasts, led rides, Dr Bike sessions and the like, to try and encourage people to take up cycling. In the ‘Cycling Town’ of Colchester however, Bike Week has been all but ignored by Cycle Colchester…

Cycling Infrastructure in Colchester

With infrastructure like this there can be little doubt as to why Colchester is a ‘Cycling Town’:

From left: broken glass covers the cycle path on Severalls Lane; treacherous shingle path at the University; difficult diversion around barriers at the University; widened path on Boadicea Way stops abruptly; route sign at Abbey Gates so close to the wall it is rendered useless; broken locks of “secure” cycle lockers at St. Johns car park; remains of cycle parking at Colchester Town station; two “historic” stands replace four conveniently placed Sheffield stands, on Crouch St.

Greenstead and Salary Brook Routes

From left: what should be a temporary structure on the Salary Brook route; when it rains the A133 underpass floods; student “hopping” over the guard rails beside the A133 after crossing the busy 50mph dual carriageway after finding the underpass flooded. All photos taken on February 17, a day before celebrations of the Greenstead and Salary Brook improvements.

The Greenstead and Salary Brook route maps have been published and are now being handed out to the public, boasting of a “newly improved cycle network” in the case of Greenstead routes, and that the “improved” Salary Brook route “provides better cycle links to the University of Essex”. One look at the photos above and you should be left in no doubt those statements are utter nonsense.

In the case of the Greenstead cycle routes, the only noticeable change is the genuinely improved Avon Way shared-use pathway. But Colchester is a ‘Cycling Town’ afraid to “push the envelope”, and even that is a let down by not giving priority to pedestrians and cyclists over dead-end side roads, and the fact it ends short of the shopping/community centre. There are no new route signs and the map itself fails to show useful traffic-free off road pathways, and instead highlights roads as routes.

The Salary Brook route has had two sections widened and relayed, but the quality is very poor indeed, and is already breaking up. The route is unsigned but for a short section near the Nature Reserve. Worst of all however, is that the A133 underpass still floods, and the stretch on its approach remains a temporary bridge over boggy terrain with the wire mesh ripped up causing a puncture hazard.

Greenstead has a large student population, and the A133 underpass, via Salary Brook is the most direct route to Essex University, but because of the dreadful drainage, every time it rains, it floods. Students, rather than troll back and walk or cycle a long way to a pedestrian crossing on the A133, will climb the bank and risk life and limb crossing the busy 50mph dual carriageway. While the underpass is in this state the Council shouldn’t be recommending its use to anyone, yet the new Cycle Colchester map encourages people to. We see Salary Brook as the most concerning infrastructure in Colchester and it must be addressed.

It’s Snow Joke, Cycling in Colchester

From left: treacherous National Cycle Network Route 51 at East Bay contrasting with clear East Street; approaching the East Bay playground; sheet ice alongside the Colne; no change further along; closer Castle Park cyclists and walkers have taken a diversion across the muddy field to avoid the dangerous pathway; shared pathway alongside Cowdray Avenue, part of the signed route to Town Centre; signed route from Colchester North station to the business park, Community Stadium, and the £250,000 High Woods route; by the service road at Turner Rise retail park looking toward Colchester North Station — no wonder two of the three recent cyclists had taken to the service road rather than risk cycling any further on this lethal path.

The above photos were taken on January 12, days after any serious snow fall, and days since main roads (and even side roads) had been cleared; incidentally also a day when the Highways Agency were out fixing potholes, whilst ignoring cyclists (and pedestrians) plight on one of the few dedicated “facilities” in Colchester.

Because of the state of this route two local rides had to be cancelled… rather than advocate cycling, the Council is actually suppressing it through neglect and ignorance.

Meanwhile Cycle Colchester have the message, “Make cycling your New Year’s resolution” on the front page of their website. Are they serious? No driver will look at the conditions of Colchester’s cycle ways and think cycling is a viable transport option. Change needs to take place in order for Colchester to be a real ‘Cycling Town’.

Cycling Town Exemplar

From left: A134 toward Town Centre from Colchester North station; newly relayed King’s Meadow shared path; Mason Road opposite Leisure World; St. Andrews Avenue by Waitrose entrance.

See more of Colchester’s fine cycling infrastructure (fine if you feel indifferent toward cycling, otherwise unacceptable given it is a ‘Cycling Town’) at the excellent Colchester Cycle Streets, a site we contribute to regularly, designed and built by Cambridge Cycling Campaign.

Cycle Lanes

Problem

They are incomplete, sporadic, and often place the cyclist in greater danger than they would otherwise have been in on the road. Main issues:

Driveways

Vehicles reverse out of driveways into path of cyclist and lowered pavements make for a slow and bumpy ride

Ends

Lanes finish abruptly forcing cyclist to blend back into motor vehicle traffic

Junctions

Cyclist is placed on inside of all turn-offs

Maintenance

Lanes are debris strewn through neglect

Obstacles

Cars, temporary signs, lampposts, etc. inside cycle lanes all pose a problem

Proposal

Make dangerous sections safe, in particular North Station, and consider cycle lanes future use and placement.

Give right of way to cyclist on junctions; the road should intersect the cycle lane, not vice versa.

Progress

Butt Road and the A134 (toward The Albert roundabout) have been resurfaced since Colchester gained its celebrated status, but rather than address two of the cycle lanes that end abruptly, Colchester Borough Council simply remarked the dangerous road environment exactly as it was (pic 7 and 8 under Problem).

Widened, shared use pathways on Avon Way, Boadicea Way, and Circular Road North all have dead-end roads off them, but not one of them gives priority to users of the pathway. We note in Cambridge priority over side roads has been achieved. Why can the same not be said of this ‘Cycling Town’?

Parking Facilities

Problem

Although there are a number of facilities for locking up bikes, most are inadequate; either not enough space or an awkward shape and do not meet the Department for Transport’s recommendations in its Manual for Streets. With the projected increase in cyclists, many more are needed.

Parking shouldn’t be an afterthought. Cyclists must be able to leave their bike in a convenient and secure place, especially given the number of bikes reported stolen each week.

Proposal

There are lots of elegant and practical solutions to the issue of parking:

Progress

Rather than increase, cycle parking has actually decreased by a significant amount over recent months: reallocation of space from cycle to trolley parking at Hythe Tesco, the halving of convenient cycle parking at Crouch St. Tesco Express, and perhaps most important of all, the loss of secure bike lockers and Sheffield stands at Colchester Town station.

Pavement Use

Because of the speed and volume of traffic, the road is considered too dangerous for the average cyclist hence why so many use the pavement, and until “the fear” is addressed, this trend will continue.

The CTC’s Safety in Numbers campaign is along the right lines, but in deference to it, a cyclist will never be safe on a dangerous road.

Road Divisions

Problem

Quite what their purpose is is unclear, what is however, is the danger they pose to cyclists.

Should the cyclist choose to use a stretch of division they then have to feed back into the traffic.

Proposal

Get rid of them all as they serve no purpose.

Town Centre

Problem

There is no provision, besides parking, for cyclists in the town centre.

Currently, unless the cyclist is travelling in the same direction as one-way system they have to either:

• Dismount and walk
• Join motor vehicles and go around the one-way system
• Cycle along a pavement and risk a £30 fine

To get from one side of town to the other on a bicycle should be quick and easy. Instead it is long-winded and unnecessarily dangerous.

Proposal

The ultimate goal has got to be a traffic-free town centre.

As a first stage open up pedestrianised roads to cyclists in either direction:

• Culver Street West
• Long Wyre Street
• Sir Isaac’s Walk
• Trinity Street

These are roads that at certain times of day are used for delivery and market motor vehicles. Cyclists won’t pose as bigger threat to pedestrians as these motor vehicles already do.

N.B. Darlington Cycling Town’s two six-month trials have resulted in cycling within the town centre becoming a permanent arrangement. Darlington Borough Council has compiled a comprehensive report.