Environmentalists have hit out at plans to axe a bus lane in Colchester.

Colchester Council is planning to scrap North Hill bus lane and replace it with a bus detector at Middleborough.

The new system would mean although there would be no bus lane in North Hill, buses would get an immediate green light as they came into the Middleborough roundabout.

But the idea of getting rid of the bus lane, which is set to take place during the next financial year, has been criticised by environmentalists.

Paula Whitney, spokeswoman for the Colchester branch of Friends of the Earth, said the council should not axe the bus lane until cars are stopped from going up North Hill and down the High Street.

She said: "We have had too many measures to increase car use and disadvantage the bus users over the last few years."

Mr Arnold said North Hill bus lane wasn't proving as effective for public transport as the proposed bus priority system would be.

Published Tuesday, February 25, 2003

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