Great Baddow to City Centre Cycle Route

As part of the Chelmsford City Growth Package (CCGP), the Great Baddow to City Centre cycle route is one of its 15 sustainable transport schemes. This scheme is part of a wider initiative by Essex County Council to encourage people to use alternative and sustainable means of transport, namely cycling. It is intended to encourage walking and cycling to local shops and other local facilities as an alternative to car use.

The scheme to the city centre will run from the junction of New Road/ Crescent Road and include a new signed ‘on-road’ cycle route through quieter residential areas, along Crescent Road, Jeffery Road and across Maldon Road, onto Longmead Avenue and Meadgate Avenue and alongside Meadgate Terrace, before utilising the Army and Navy Roundabout subway and connecting with the existing cycle route to the city centre via Parkway and Baddow road car park.</p>
<p>Improvements to the existing subway arrangements will be undertaken, along with formal consultation to review the current cycle status to enable cyclists to remain mounted through the subway.

Yes, you can cycle from Baddow Road long stay car park to where the new route will link up with the existing off-road shared cycle footway towards the city centre.

The planned works are starting on site throughout September. Trial hole works are already underway.

The proposals include widening the footway along sections of Parkway to provide an additional length of off-road route, converting an existing section of footway immediately south of the Army and Navy roundabout to a shared use facility. The surface will be upgraded and cycle route signing throughout the area will direct cyclists to the advisory route

The funds for the cycle lane improvements do not affect any future work on the Army and Navy. The work to the subway is limited to new signs, mirrors and making the handrails safer.  There is no significant work taking place in the subway itself.

This has been a long-requested scheme which has come to fruition for the benefit of the cycling community.

Whilst the timing is coincidental to the closure of the Army and Navy flyover, the completed scheme will provide an alternative method of access to the city for residents. This was always the intention when looking at the longer-term Essex strategy.

Whilst a longer-term solution is being investigated and developed, there will remain a desire for an improved cycle route from Great Baddow to the City Centre. The route through Great Baddow will not change from any Army and Navy works and neither will the Baddow Road Car Park section, so the two ends of the scheme will be in place regardless to any changes made at the Army and Navy roundabout. Future designs of the Army and Navy will consider provision for cyclists.

The works within the subway itself are to improve general safety for all users. The current safest way to cross the Army and Navy by cyclists is to dismount and walk their bike through the subway. Any final change to the existing prohibition of cycle use within the subway will be subject to a separate Cycle Track Order currently in the process of being drafted for publication.

The increased provision of cycle routes in the Great Baddow area should help encourage more cycling and walking, thereby reducing overall motorist congestion on the roads.

The works will be undertaken with the travelling public in mind.  Works in the first phase will be at night so as not to impact Parkway and Baddow Car Park users.  The work in the subway will be during the day and access will be maintained.  Works on the final section will be off peak days.  This has been planned so as to have no impact on traffic flow or journey times.

No – Work has been ongoing since January on all the schemes that impact the Parkway corridor and most of these are drawing to a close.  There is one final piece of work to do which is to resurface between the Army and Navy roundabout and the Odeon Roundabout.  This scheme is to allow traffic to flow better along Parkway and is again planned for night time to avoid disrupting the traffic.