A COUNCILLOR has defended plans to make cycling a more attractive option in Colchester after climate change deniers stormed a council meeting.

Green councillor Mark Goacher, reacting to an update on Colchester Council’s moves to encourage cycling over the coming year, said the plans are “not about forcing people to get out of their car”.

The authority is looking to bring an electric bike hire scheme to the city in a bid to expand on its cycling offering.

The authority said it is exploring bringing e-bikes to Colchester with Tier – the company behind an ongoing e-scooter trial.

Gazette: Tier is the firm behind the long-running E-scooter trial in ColchesterTier is the firm behind the long-running E-scooter trial in Colchester (Image: Newsquest)

Similar projects have been successfully rolled out in cities such as York and London.

Launched in 2010, the London scheme is one of the largest of its kind in Europe, with more than 12,000 cycles and 800 docking stations based around the capital.

Of more than 80 readers polled on the move, 53 per cent said they would be happy to see an e-bike hire scheme brought to the city.

Colchester Council’s environment and sustainability panel considered a report on its green travel schemes at a meeting on Tuesday.



The meeting was hampered by protestors waving placards splashed with slogans such as “man-made climate change does not exist”.

The report revealed the authority hopes to make people feel “more confident” about locking their bikes safely in the city centre and “more willing” to cycle into the city.

It said a £90,000 secure bike park will open in the city centre in Spring 2023.

The premises will host the Colchester Bike Kitchen and shared e-cargo bike hub.

A review is also set to be carried out over on-street parking provision in Colchester “to make cycle parking safer and more convenient for all of the city’s shoppers and visitors”.

The report said: “The overwhelming message from the community in 2022 was fear of cycling on the roads.

“Lack of signage and bike security and theft were the second and third concern.

“The top concern regarding the lack of segregated and joined up infrastructure reflects trends elsewhere and remains the main barrier stopping people from cycling in Colchester.”

Colchester’s city centre e-cargo bike delivery service is part of a Government project funded by £188,000.

The report said a Christmas trial encouraged shoppers to drop their shopping at a town centre logistics hub, in Priory Walk, for delivery to their home for a small charge.

It claimed the trial replaced 61 miles of van deliveries with cargo bikes, “equating to at least 30kg of CO2 saved and fewer vehicles congesting the city centre”.

The report added: “By the end of 2022 our e-cargo bike fleet had collectively ridden 30,000 miles saving 9 tonnes of CO2.”

Colchester Council officers said the authority had worked closely with Essex County Council in developing plans for new cycle routes through the city.

A video shared by the group shows the protesters taunting councillors, booing and jeering, shouting and saying: "We are watching you lot. And we are going to remove every single one of you... You're hopeless."



Mr Goacher responded: “I feel strongly that we need to be addressing the climate emergency which exists.

“I’m particularly pleased we’ve got the secure bike park coming, because I know one the big disincentives for a lot of people cycling in to Colchester is the fear of having their bike nicked.

“Anything that can mitigate that is absolutely fantastic.

“I’m also very pleased with the cargo bike scheme, because another big disincentive is shopping and anything that can help with that is great, so there’s a lot of good stuff happening and I think the report is absolutely excellent.

Gazette: Colchester councillor and environment and sustainability panel member Mark GoacherColchester councillor and environment and sustainability panel member Mark Goacher (Image: Newsquest)

“For the ears of Essex County Council, with the best will in the world there will always be people who can’t cycle and I think it’s very important we keep in mind we need to protect and enhance our bus services.

“I know that nationally a lot of county councils are cutting bus services, particularly rural bus services, because of the financial situation.

“We should be enhancing our bus services.”

In a pointed response to the shouts of protestors, Mr Goacher added: “This is not about forcing people by some kind of dictatorial force to get out of their car or else, it’s nothing to do with that.

“it’s about offering people alternatives that are viable and attractive.

“The problem with it is often alternatives to the car are not seen as viable, reliable, attractive, partly because as we’ve seen from the report there is a very big fear of cycling around certain parts of Colchester.

“I would never try St Botolph’s roundabout. I think making Colchester safer for cyclists is not about forcing people out of cars, it’s about offering people a viable alternative.”


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