ONE of the town’s most polluted roads is being made worse due to bus lanes, it has been claimed.

Essex County Council introduced a bus lane in Queen Street to discourage drivers from using the High Street.

However, because of the bus lane it means drivers are forced to go down a different route through Brook Street, a road notorious for poor air quality.

Charles Trollope, from Fingringhoe, called it a “scandalous” decision, with the air quality in Brook Street and the rest of the central corridor being at 48.55μg/m3.

The World Health Organisation’s recommendation of nitrogen dioxide is 40μg/m3.

He said: “The direct result of diverting traffic from Queen Street is to force drivers to drive four times as far and produce at least four times as much pollution.

“This diversion takes the driver down East Hill, through two sets of traffic lights, up Brook Street, through more traffic lights, down Magdalen Street and more traffic lights to St Botolph’s roundabout.

“Brook Street is narrower than Queen Street. The pollution here has always been worse here than in Queen Street.”

He said the signs of pollution are becoming more obvious. “Now at times you can see the polluting haze hanging over the stationary traffic,” he added.

“Pollution at this level is recognised as detrimental to health. Why was the risk to the health of Brook Street residents ignored by those that thought up the idea on banning traffic from the High Street turning into Queen Street?”

An air quality annual status report was put together in June and highlighted Brook Street as one of the main areas of air pollution.

A spokesman for Essex County Council said: “The Queen Street bus lane is part of wider project to cut congestion in Colchester, which is estimated to cost the area £20million a year.

“A full bus has the potential to remove up to 40 cars off our roads and that is why we introduced dedicated bus lanes to ensure bus services offer a quick and reliable alternative to driving.

“We have also extended opening hours and introduced new ticketing options on the park and ride to offer visitors to Colchester a quick and simple alternative to driving in the town centre.

“Improving air quality is an ongoing priority for us.”