POLITICIANS have joined forces to condemn a decision to close one of Colchester's busiest roads for two months.

Brook Street is to be shut while work is undertaken to relieve the chronic congestion on the road.

The scheme, which will cost £440,000, will see the mini roundabout at the junction with East Hill removed and a signalised junction put in its place.

Essex County Council said the work will start soon and should be completed in May.

However, while the work is underway, Brook Street will be closed.

The work is a major initiative to try to reduce congestion and improve the air quality in one of the most polluted streets in Colchester.

But the leaders of the Liberal Democrat, Labour and Highwoods Independents groups on Colchester Council have strongly criticised Conservative-run county council.


They say the work will bring Colchester to a standstill because of the roadworks and highways schemes being done at the same time.


Motorists are also facing delays as one lane on Southway is closed and there are on-going roadworks on Hythe Hill and in other parts of the town.

 

Gazette:
Lyn Barton, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: “Essex County Council seems intent on bringing traffic chaos to Colchester.


"Some of these roadworks are necessary but to do them all at the same time is bad planning and will lead to greater pollution, congestion and frustration for motorists.”

Rodney Bass, Essex County Council's Cabinet member for infrastructure, said “The primary objective of this scheme is to manage congestion at the junction between East Hill, East Street and Brook Street.”

 

 

 

The junction was controlled by signals in the past which was changed to a roundabout to try to improve traffic flows.

However, the county council said technology has changed significantly in recent years and it now believes the new traffic signals arrangement will improve the movement of vehicles as well as pedestrians and cyclists.

The existing zebra crossing on Brook Street will also be removed and replaced with a pedestrian phase at the traffic lights.

The junction of East Hill and Guildford Road has been incorporated into the design to improve the efficiency of the new traffic signals.

In addition to the road closure, there will also be a lane closure on East Street during the works and two way temporary traffic signals will be in force while resurfacing works are undertaken in East Hill and East Street.