Save Cymbeline Crossing

From Colchester Gazette Wednesday 21 January 2015: A PEDESTRIAN crossing on one of Colchester’s most congested roads looks set to be scrapped. Essex County Council wants to remove the crossing in Cymbeline Way, near the Colne Bank roundabout and the junction with Westway, claiming it aggravates congestion.


Cycle campaigners have accused Rodney Boss, councillor responsible for highways, of damaging years of work with a stroke of a pen. Will Bramhill, planning officer for the Colchester Cycling Campaign, says the crossing is a vital link for cyclists and pedestrians travelling from Lexden and Prettygate to Colchester North railway station, Colchester General Hospital and the Turner Rise retail park. It is also a route used by students walking to St Helena School and Colchester Institute.

Mr Bramhill said: “All the work we have put in over the past 25 years has been severed at a stroke of his pen.” He has asked Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell to raise the issue in Parliament as a “classic example of where localism isn’t working”. He said Mr Bass had not taken account of national policies to encourage walking and cycling for health and environmental benefits.

Mr Bramhill, of Mile End Road, Colchester, argues scrapping the crossing will have minimal effect on congestion ahead of the park and ride opening in the spring. He said: “It is being used as an excuse for one of Mr Bass’s pastimes of hitting the pedestrian and cyclist. Congestion could be eased by greater enforcement of yellow boxes on the roundabout. The council has an armoury of anti-congestion tactics, but is choosing an anti-pedestrian, anti-cyclist agenda.”

Mr Bramhill said, if the crossing had to go, a safe underpass should be put in place using money from the national roadbuilding pot for sustainable transport.

Mr Bass, in response to Mr Bramhill, said: “We have to remove this crossing which is a major cause of congestion morning and night. Ask any driver who uses it. We have consulted Colchester Council informally at our regular meetings, are beginning to designate, by sign, North Station Road as a route to walk and will inform the college and school concerned to the change. There is, therefore, a reasonable alternative and we will be promoting it. Public transport will also benefit significantly from the change, including park and ride.”

Sir Bob Russell launched a petition in January to "call upon Conservative County Councillor Rodney Bass at Essex County Council to reverse the plan to remove the pedestrian crossing on Cymbeline Way. The crossing serves St Helena School and Colchester North rail station.  It helps commuters, school children and a large number of college students to cross a busy road safely, as well as being part of the town’s cycle network."

The effect of the crossing in slowing down traffic is negligible as demonstrated in this 9-minute YouTube video. It shows the rush hour traffic crawling along in both directions without any hold up from the crossing for 5 mins. When a pedestrian eventually does turn the lights red at about 5.30 mins the effect on the traffic is negligible.

PS 23/2//2015: Plan to redesign the busy Colne Bank roundabout to ease traffic (From Gazette): Rodney Bass, councillor responsible for highways at Essex County Council, said the plans mean a pedestrian crossing on the Avenue of Remembrance will have to move, as previously proposed. He said: “It is too close to the roundabout and it makes sense to find an alternative.”

Mr Bass said although he would prefer people who use the crossing to instead walk along North Station Road before turning right into Colne Bank Avenue and using an underpass into Sheepen Road to get to their destination, officers know many people are used to using the crossing.

The plan is to move the crossing about 200 yards along the road, towards Sheepen Road, as a temporary trial. Its use will be monitored. Mr Bass said: “These plans should mitigate the start-stop problem.”

COMMENT: As Wolf's video illustrates, there is no start-stop problem, only a congestion problem that has nothing to do with the crossing.