COLCHESTER’S long-awaited park-and-ride scheme will not stop in Queen Street when it opens in two weeks.

Highways bosses had initially hoped the stop would be included in a town centre loop when the multi-million pound service launches on Monday, April 13.

But Essex County Council says planned roadworks has scuppered the plans.

A stop will instead be temporarily installed in St John’s Street and it is hoped the new Queen Street stop will open in a few months.

A spokesman for Essex County Counci said: “Although the new Colchester park and ride will have a bus stop in Queen Street in the long term, it has been decided to deliver this at a later date to reduce the impact of the various highways works taking place over the next couple of months.

“Instead, an interim bus stop in St John’s Street, which is already in place, will be in operation when the park and ride opens.”

The centre, by the A12 at Cuckoo Farm near the Weston Homes Community Stadium, will be the depot for a fleet of new buses heading into the town centre between 7am and 7pm Monday to Saturday.

They will run along the bus lanes on the yet-to-be-opened Northern Approach 3 before joining part of the Northern Approach and Bruff Close.

Buses are then scheduled to travel to the town centre via North Station Road and North Hill, looping around the High Street, Queen Street, Osborne Street and St John’s Street before returning via Head Street.

Colchester Council’s councillor responsible for regeneration Anne Turrell said she was not worried about the latest developments, adding: “I don’t think there is anything sinister in this, but it just will not be there on the day the park and ride opens.”