Essex County Council submits ambitious and transformational bid for Active Travel funding

Essex County Council has now submitted an ambitious bid for further Government Emergency Active Travel funding to the Department for Transport (DfT).

The Essex proposal, which includes details of five transformational schemes in Basildon (Wickford), Braintree, Brentwood, Chelmsford and Colchester, will now be considered by the DfT with results announced later in the Autumn.

The proposals build on recent experience gained from the emergency Safer, Greener, Healthier measures set up in several towns across Essex, the previously published Essex Cycling Strategy and existing planning already underway.

The schemes submitted are required by DfT to reallocate road space to active travel measures such as cycling and walking to ensure better access to town centres, places of employment and other key areas.

Over the longer-term, the intention is to improve public health and reduce congestion and pollution, by providing more opportunity to use more sustainable forms of travel where possible.

A summary of the schemes is below, and further details will be available online shortly.

Schemes submitted to the Department for Transport:  

• Basildon: The scheme will create a cycling and walking route from Nevendon Road to the railway station, the adoption of 20 mph speed limits, School Streets and a Low Traffic Neighbourhood.  
• Braintree: The proposal is to create two segregated cycle routes, one running from East to West from Courtauld Rad to Panfield Lane and from South to North from the schools on Notley Road and ending at the town centre. The routes will involve adoption of a School Street and the introduction of 20 mph speed limits and a Dutch-style roundabout
• Brentwood: The proposal is to create a segregated cycle route in Brentwood connecting commuters to Shenfield railway station to Brentwood town centre, via a Low Traffic Neighbourhood and the adoption of a School Street, and the introduction of 20 mph speed limits. 
• Chelmsford: The proposal is to create two segregated cycle routes: an East to City centre corridor from Chelmer Village and a West to South-East corridor from the railway station to meet an established cycle route to Baddow. Both of these routes will involve the adoption of 20 mph speed limits and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods. 
• Colchester: The proposal is to create two segregated cycle routes in Colchester, going North-South from Mile End Road to Butt Road and a West-East corridor starting at the junction of Spring Lane and ending on East Hill. Both routes will involve the adoption of School Streets, Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and 20 mph speed limits.

All the schemes will deliver benefits to residents such as active travel and positive health and wellbeing, while also reducing congestion and air pollution.