AN extra lane will be built to give buses a smoother ride into Colchester town centre.

Work on the bus lane - which will stretch from North Station roundabout, along Station Way to Essex Hall roundabout - will begin on January 5 and is expected to be completed by spring, in time to coincide with the launch of the Colchester Park and Ride, at Cuckoo Farm.

It will meet the southbound North Station Road, outside The Norfolk pub, which is already a designated bus lane.

It means the only part of a bus’s route into the town centre which it will not have priority is between the Albert roundabout and Middleborough.

Temporary traffic lights will be in place to direct traffic during construction.

Rodney Bass, Essex County Council cabinet member for highways, said: “We recognise that temporary effects of this work will include journey time delays.

“However, I remind residents, businesses and visitors to Colchester that these schemes will deliver significant economic and social benefits in terms of economic and residential growth, provide improvements to congestion and air quality, and help deliver the long term aspirations for Colchester town centre.”

Martin Hunt, Colchester Council leader, said: “Although there will be several weeks of roadworks at this busy part of Colchester, the result should be better for all road users in the area.”

A signed diversion will be in place if motorists choose to use it.

The existing bus stop outside Wickes, in Station Way, will be relocated to North Station Road during the work.