Campaigners want a road tunnel built under north Colchester.

They want a major junction on the new northern approaches road to be built underground.

The Underpass Action Group (UAG) has been posting petition forms through letterboxes throughout Mile End, calling for the new northern approaches road to go under Mill Road.

Patrick Mills, a member of the group and chairman of the Myland Parish Council steering committee, said the road itself would be welcomed as long as there was no junction created with Mill Road.

He said: "The consequences are really quite horrific."

Mr Mills said the inclusion of bus lanes, cycle lanes and normal carriageways meant the junction would be up to 150 yards wide.

"It is gigantic. It creates a safety issue," he added.

The northern approaches road was given planning permission after a public inquiry and will bring traffic from a new junction on the A12 through land at Severalls Hospital to Mill Road near Defoe Crescent.

The traffic will continue through land between Colchester General and the Oaks hospitals to North Station.

A previous petition found favour with 430 residents of the area. The group will hold a public meeting at Colchester Rugby Club at 7.30pm on Thursday.

Head of environmental policy at Colchester Council David Green said planning approval had been given with the inclusion of a signal-controlled crossing at the junction of Mill Road.

"It was looked at carefully at the time of the application and the view was taken that the crossing was safe."

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