A GARDEN community consisting of thousands of homes will include a new public rapid transit system to ease congestion, a report has revealed.

Colchester Council’s draft local plan explores the possibility of a transit system, including a second Park and Ride stop, to link a new town on the border of Colchester and Tendring with the nearby Essex University and Colchester town centre.

The garden community, which will deliver 2,500 homes until 2033 and up to 9,000 overall, is earmarked for land north of the A133, with its centre set to be built on Clingoe Hill.

The report said: “The development of a public rapid transit system connecting the garden community to Essex University and Colchester town centre; park and ride facilities and other effective integrated measures will mitigate the transport impacts of the proposed development.”

The draft plan details a new Park and Ride stop in the A133 area, with a link road proposed to join the A120 and the A133.

The report said: “This new link will draw traffic from east Colchester and provide an alternative access to the A120 and A12 trunk route to the north of Colchester.

“It will have an impact on the operation of the Greenstead roundabout and capacity gained here should primarily be allocated to rapid transit or public transport.”

Martin Goss, Colchester Council’s local plan committee chairman, said he hoped the idea would help ease congestion.

"We have to make sure the garden settlements stand on their own two feet, with the supporting infrastructure," he said.

"Transport is a fundamental part of this, be it road, rail, cycling or pedestrian.

"People will still use their cars, anyone who doesn’t believe that is living in cloud cuckoo land.

"This transit system is being looked at as a way to relieve traffic issues, but people would have to make use of it. It is an idea and needs to be properly looked at. Take the current Park and Ride in Colchester, people do not use it in droves.

"The same can be said for this plan, it must be cost effective and it must meet the needs of a 24-hour society. This isn’t set in stone, the plans are set to be put out to consultation so people can tell us what they think of the idea."

Wivenhoe councillors previously branded the planned garden settlement a ‘Megacity’, saying it will ‘swamp’ Wivenhoe.