Transport
History of our transport campaigns
Colchester FoE started the huge campaign to try to prevent the publicly-owned Colchester bus station site being built on and the bus station being unsuitably resited in the redevelopment planned for the St Botolph's area of the town. The Bus Users group and Save Our Bus Station joined the battle to no avail.
We have been vocal in our support for public transport and campaigned against removing the bus lane from North Hill. The loss of this has caused bus journey times to lengthen and the withdrawal of the extended bus link to Colchester Hospital from Mersea and Brightlingsea. The Mersea bus no longer goes to North Station during the daytime as it always used to.
In the past we have promoted public transport, including the Braintree to Stansted rail link, when we appeared at the public inquiries opposing the proposed major new A120 and A130 road schemes. These were environmentally-devastating sections of the future 'Outer M25' which FoE predicted in the Observer in 2003.
The long fight to try to save the ancient bluebell woods at Rettendon on the route of the proposed A130 included the longest underground tunnel occupation in the world - forty days and forty nights.
Buses diverted for bicycle race
On 18th June 2009, there was a bike race in the town centre in the evening. The main road circuit around town was closed all day, to all traffic including buses, and used for cycle-related activities. This created access problems for bus users (and also for pedestrians; there were gaps in the barriers for crossing points, but they weren't all wheelchair/pram/etc. accessible).
See our letter of 15th June below.
Get Serious
Following FoE's 'Get Serious' campaign to persuade councils to commit to a 40% cut in climate change gases by 2020, CFoE decided to home in on transport in Colchester.
See our recent letters below.
Letters to the press
- Improve bus station to give Vaf a boost, Gazette 13 May 2010
- Park and ride will not reduce pollution, Gazette 1 Apr. 2010 (also in Standard and EADT)
- Vital to support bus use, Standard 9 Oct. 2009
- Let's get the terminology right as well as the right solution to the High Street, sent to the Standard 30 June 2009
- Buses as important as bikes?, Gazette 15 June 2009
New access road to Philip Morant School
There are two versions of the proposal for a new access road to Philip Morant School, both of which are very environmentally damaging and would destroy the safe routes to school; the second proposal also crosses part of the former allotments.
We are supporting the Irvine Road Area Residents' Association in objecting to both proposals.
- Objection to 1st proposal (.DOC)
- Objection to 2nd proposal (.DOC)
Car free High Street
At Colchester2020's event in Castle Park on 24th June 2010, we lobbied for a car-free High St. (as promised years ago) instead of the "pedestrianised" arrangements that the Conservatives prefer. The Gazette printed an article the next day, with a photo of Paula Whitney, Peter Lynn, Edmund Chinnery and Susan Francis holding a banner promoting the car-free High Street. A letter from Paula subsequently appeared in the Standard, with another photo taken at that event, of Paula with a placard defending the bus station.
- Article in Gazette 25/6/2010 (large .JPG image)
- Letter in Standard 2/7/2010 (large .JPG image)
Page updated 17/7/10
