CONTROVERSIAL plans to slash parking spaces in Colchester’s Crouch Street are set to be reviewed after businesses took a stand against the scheme.

Crouch Street, which is home to long-standing independent businesses, has 23 parking bays but Essex County Council plans to more than halve the number of spaces in order to introduce cycle lanes.

Business owners, including Kenneth Lo of China Chef and Alison Hudson of Faces hair salon, campaigned against the introduction of cycle lanes and argued the majority of customers travel to Crouch Street by car and not by bike.

Active travel proposals for key route in Colchester to be reviewed after consultation with residents and businesses in the area.

The council said it had listened to feedback and will be reviewing the plans.

The changes were drawn up under a council-led green travel campaign, with the scheme set to be funded following the County Hall’s successful £7.4 million bid to the Government’s second Active Travel Fund.

As part of the process to implement the proposed changes, Essex Highways held a consultation on the Crouch Street plans.

The council says proposals will now be reviewed to assess how residents’ concerns can be taken into account.

Lee Scott, Highways boss at Essex County Council, met with businesses in Crouch Street earlier this month to discuss their concerns directly.

He said: “We have listened to all the points that have been raised with us in relation to the scheme and as a result we will be reviewing the plans for Crouch Street to see if there are alternative proposals which would address these concerns, but still help deliver improvements to walking and cycling provision in the area.

“We remain committed to improving cycling and walking provision in this part of Colchester.”

Phil Gunton, the owner of H Gunton grocery store, explained previous roadworks at the Ipswich Road roundabout had already had a knock-on effect on businesses in Crouch Street.

He said: “The reason people shop at the likes of Tollgate is easy free parking.

"This is precisely what these plans will remove from Crouch Street and it will close us, and probably others.”