SOMEBODY will get hurt if Essex County Council goes ahead with plans to close a pedestrian crossing in Colchester’s Cymbeline Way, green campaigners have warned.

Colchester Green Links and Open Spaces has written to Rodney Bass, county councillor responsible for highways, describing the decision as “barely credible”.

The plan came to light last week, with the council claiming the crossing, near the Westway roundabout, is to blame for some of the area’s awful traffic congestion.

The green group’s letter to Mr Bass goes on to warn closing the crossing would put pedestrians in danger, disrupt the town’s connected green spaces and give priority to cars over more sustainable forms of transport.

It concludes: “Please reconsider this ill-thought-out proposal, which, at best, can only, ultimately, increase congestion (since aimed at facilitating traffic), and at worst, will leave blood on somebody’s hands.”

Colchester Green Links and Open Spaces is a coalition of 17 groups including Walk Colchester, Friends of the Hythe, Colchester Green Party, Colchester Natural History Society, Colchester Cycle Campaign, Cycle Colchester, Sustrans, Destination Colchester and C-Bus.