Colchester Rapid Transit

What is a rapid transit system?

A rapid transit system is a transport system which has priority over other forms of transport. This can mean priority in traffic, on a dedicated lane alongside traffic, or on a rapid transit corridor separated from traffic.

Giving priority and ensuring the route connects key destinations means journey time reliability and can make it quicker and easier to travel by rapid transit than by car.

In a thriving, growing city such as Colchester, providing high-quality public transport solutions will not only help to grow the local economy, but will also help reduce congestion, improve accessibility and support environmental objectives.

Rapid transit in Colchester

The planned route within Colchester travels from the A12 Park and Ride to the University of Essex and new Garden Community due to be developed close by. With stops along its route and services delivered every few minutes, this will connect new and existing residents with key destinations including the hospital, railway station, city centre and university.

And with priority measures, modelling indicates that, once operational, the rapid transit will provide a 35% journey time saving when travelling between the park and ride and the city centre and 20% between the university and the city centre.

Once fully operational users can expect to see services unlike anything else in the city, with distinct vehicles, unique branding and modern ticketing and stops using the latest technologies.

With vehicle technology evolving at pace, we are also exploring different types of vehicles. Elsewhere in the country, for example, the West Midlands Sprint is introducing new hydrogen-based vehicles, while the Belfast Glider uses a diesel-electric engine.

Northern Approach works (Section A of RTS)

Along Northern Approach there are existing plans for a rapid transit corridor and having been granted planning permission in 2006, an initial design was created in 2012.

Forming part of the new Colchester Rapid Transit system, Colchester City Council approved a revised design in 2022. This sees the rapid transit lane moved further from properties along with new improved walking and cycling facilities created in line with latest design guidance.

Northern Approach is the first stage of the rapid transit infrastructure being constructed, and John Sisk and Sons Ltd have been appointed to undertake the work.

Work is progressing well and preparation work for the installation of the new lane has now been completed. The below images are taken from drone footage and show the progress from April to July 2024.

Further details on the latest updates on the Northern Appraoch works can be seen in the contractor newsletter in the documents section below. Weekly lookaheads are also uploaded to this section that set out the planned works on a weekly basis.

Landscaping

As part of the main works, a major tree planting scheme will be undertaken, with large (about 6-7m in height,) nursery grown semi-mature varieties planted along the route. This will increase the total number of trees by over 20%. Along the avenue this will see a mixture of London Plane and Small-leaved Lime trees to match those on the eastern side, while Silver Birch, Flowering Cherry and Turkey Oak will be planted at stops and within an amenity open space created next to Bruff Close.

In addition, we will create landscaped areas, which are to be planted with shrubs and herbaceous groundcover next to the busway and pedestrian/cycle facilities, throughout halt areas and on some islands. We are designing this robust planting scheme to enhance the sense of place, promote biodiversity and attract wildlife, with the introduction of pollinator-friendly native plant species, log-piles and the addition of bat and bird boxes.

More details on the landscaping proposals as well as other technical documents submitted to planning can be seen via the Colchester City Council website.

Full plans for Northern Approach can also be seen in the document section below.

The overview plans for this section of the rapid transit route can be seen in the document section below. For more details on documents submitted for planning please see the link to the Colchester City Council page.

Clingoe Hill works (Section C of RTS)

On Clingoe Hill a new rapid transit lane will help improve journey time reliability along this section of the route. New walking and cycling facilities will also provide links between the future Garden Community development and the city's existing walking/cycling network.

Milestone Infrastructure has been appointed as contractor for the construction of the new Rapid Transit Infrastructure along Clingoe Hill and phase 1 of the works have been progressing well since getting underway in August 2024. Details on the current status of the works being carried out by Milestone Infrastructure are as follows:

Site Setup: The initial site setup has been successfully completed, including the establishment of the compound area.

Traffic Management: A contraflow traffic management system has been implemented. The system has been designed to minimise disruption while maintaining safety for both workers and road users.

Vegetation Clearance: Vegetation clearance has been conducted to allow excavation activities to take place. Environmental teams were actively involved in this process, taking extensive precautions to protect Tree Preservation Order (TPO) trees and the local wildlife.

Slip Trench Trial Holes: Excavation of slip trench trial holes has been carried out and multiple surveys conducted. These have allowed safe digging procedures to be followed.

Pedestrian Diversion Routes: Safe pedestrian diversion routes, particularly around the Greenstead Roundabout, have been established.

Focus on Drainage Installation: Currently there is a focus on the installation of drainage systems within the southern verge of the site. This work is critical to managing water runoff and preventing flooding, ensuring the long-term functionality of the infrastructure.

Installation of Attenuation Tank: Work is underway on the installation of the attenuation tank, which will serve as a filtration system to manage surface water runoff from the carriageway. This tank will filter the water before allowing it to flow into the Salary Brook, contributing to improved water quality in the area.

For further details on these works, including the phasing of construction please see Milestone Infrastructure’s phasing diagram.

Got a question?

If you have a question about rapid transit, the proposals for Colchester or any of the specfic scheme works, please do not hesitate to contact the project team by emailing rapidtransit@essexhighways.org