TRANSPORT was the focus of a hustings ahead of crunch Essex County Council elections.

A fiery meeting saw the Green Party put forward plans for more cycling and walking, while Ukip proposed scrapping bus lanes.

Colchester Pensioners’ Action Group staged the event on Friday, April 21 at Cardinal Borne Hall, in Priory Street, Colchester.

Some 30 pensioners quizzed Conservative Sue Lissimore, the Green Party’s Andrew Canessa, Labour’s Julie Young, the Liberal Democrats’ John Baker and Ukip’s John Pitts.

During introductions, Mr Pitts earned cries of “hear hear” from the audience as he condemned the over development of Colchester and “ridiculous” bus lanes.

He added: “The way we are building in Colchester we are going to be in permanent gridlock.

“Something has to happen. Something has to give. I and Ukip will make a big noise. Something has to be done. That’s my big mantra for the afternoon.”

Liberal Democrat John Baker also complained of over development in the town.

When quizzed on finances and priorities as a result of Government cuts, Mr Baker said he would prioritise social care and education.

Mr Pitts did not want to see any cuts to essential services and said “drastic cuts” could be made to executive pay, coupled with savings in “red tape and bureaucracy”.

Green Mr Canessa said his party would prioritise “the most vulnerable” and would call a referendum to raise council tax and avoid cutting spending.

Labour’s Julie Young rubbished Mr Pitts’ claims some Essex County Council staff are paid £300,000 per year, clarifying that 30 staff receive £100,000 or more.

Mrs Young also supported paying care staff more and proposed spending £3 million extra in social care by raising the council tax.

Her party would also restore night street lighting and meals on wheels. Cash would also come from the Essex Innovation Fund which has several million in it but barely a tenth of it spent.

Conservative Sue Lissimore said efficiencies and savings could still be made and the council was good at getting extra grant funding for specific projects.

The audience complained of a ban on turning right into Queen Street from High Street and a £450,000 traffic light scheme at Brook Street.

Mrs Lissimore said sensors still had to be installed at the lights to make the traffic flow better.

Mr Pitts said bus lanes “cause further congestion” and he would “do away with them” while Mr Baker backed more park and rides to help stop cars driving into town.

But Mr Canessa said Essex had to “Change its mindset of cars, cars, cars” and instead encourage more to walk or cycle to avoid spending money on such schemes.

Julie Young said to have “sensible” projects, more had to be done at a local level- and that was the one thing they all agreed upon.