“Obstacle course” cycle junction a “ruse to drive motorists out of the town”, claim drivers – but cyclists praise long-awaited layout change

A new cycle junction, which will enable cyclists to ride against the flow of traffic on a one-way city centre road and avoid a significant diversion, has been branded “confusing” and a “ruse to drive motorists out of the town centre” – but local cycling campaigners say they are “optimistic” that it will enable cyclists to travel more easily and safely across the city.

Work to improve the layout of the junction of Head Street and North Hill in Colchester is set to be completed by the end of the month, and will feature new road markings and cycling-specific traffic lights to enable people on bikes to ride against the flow of the one-way traffic on Head Street.

Once completed, the cycling-specific light will enable cyclists travelling down North Hill or along Head Street to navigate the junction seconds before other road users, which the Colchester Cycling Campaign says will “head off the risk to cyclists from right-turning motor traffic going into High Street”.

The new junction forms the first phase of what Essex Highways and the county council say will be the eventual completion of a segregated two-way cycle lane along Head Street, a development roundly welcomed by local cyclists who have long criticised the lack of “desire lines” and increased travel times in Colchester thanks to its plethora of one-way streets, often forcing locals to walk with their bikes.

“The big issue here is that the roads have been built for cars since 1960, and that’s the case in Colchester,” William Bramhill, Colchester Cycling Campaign’s vice-secretary, told road.cc about the new infrastructure currently being installed on Head Street.

“They’ve blocked off so many desire lines for cyclists with one-way streets in the city centre, such as Head Street.

“You could stand in the top left hand corner of the city, and think ‘how do I get to such and such?’ And you have to go round three sides of the oblong to get to it. Which people aren’t going to do.

“So, consequently you have a lot of cyclists going the wrong way down High Street and Head Street. But now Head Street is getting a two-way cycle lane, which is brilliant. It’s what we’ve pushing for for ages.”

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However, other residents aren’t as enthusiastic about the project as Bramhill and his fellow cycling campaigners.

“It’s just confusing – it gives cyclists the right of way, which is fine, but one of the lanes cuts right out in front of people going down North Hill,” 63-year-old Mary Felgate told the Daily Gazette today.

“It’s just a ruse to drive motorists out of the town centre. Colchester town centre is an obstacle course that changes every single moment – you’ve got cycle lanes going backwards and forwards and a lane that cuts in front of motorists coming down Head Street. Where’s the joined-up thinking?”

Others, meanwhile, were somewhat more balanced in their appraisal of the soon-to-be-completed infrastructure.

“Personally, I think it’s too wide, it’s holding up all the traffic,” 87-year-old Terence Davis said.

“But I suppose the cycle lanes can be good in a way, because my two sons do a hell of a lot of cycling.”

“It will be great when it’s open, but it’s just taking so long to get to that stage,” added Deliveroo cyclist Ian.

“There’s a lot of cycling infrastructure, it’s generally in the places you want it to be, and it’s well marked up, so people seem to use it a lot.

“People will get used to them – they will adapt and we will all just get on with it.”

Local cyclist Bee Sawyer, who regularly cycles into the city centre, says she “loves” the new layout and prospective cycle lane.

“I don’t like the busy traffic, especially in Lexden Road,” she says. “Drivers are just in a hurry and don’t care about cycling, so yes [I’m happy with the cycle lane], though non-cyclists probably aren’t very happy.”

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Colchester Cycling Campaign’s Bramhill, meanwhile, reckons that most of the confusion from these non-cyclists stems from the lack of familiarity with cycling-specific traffic lights across the UK.

“It’s no wonder that motorists in Colchester anticipate confusion. If they haven’t driven in London in the past few years they are unlikely to have seen cycle traffic lights,” he tells road.cc.

“The Head Street/High Street/North Hill junction will have a special cycle phase to allow out northbound/eastbound riders before their light goes red and general traffic gets a green light.

“I’m hoping the timings will be such that cyclists don’t have long to wait. I understand that the Essex designers have received training from Active Travel England so I’m optimistic.”

Essex County Council addressed the noise around the development and said the markings had been “reviewed as part of a road safety audit completed for the scheme”.

A spokesperson said: “We understand there have been some concerns that the cycle lane is too wide, however when complete this will be two cycle lanes, one in each direction, which will allow a two-way cycle flow segregated from the main carriageway and footway.

“The barriers are an important safety feature, ensuring cyclists of all experience levels feel confident using the cycle lane. We are also nearing completion of the road markings to help cyclists navigate the different routes available, which have been reviewed as part of a road safety audit completed for the scheme.”

> “Why pick on a lone female cyclist?” Cyclist slapped with £100 fine – for riding on a cycle path

The latest cycling infrastructure development in Colchester comes just a few weeks after a cyclist in the city was left stunned after she was handed a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice by a council warden, ostensibly under a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) designed to prevent anti-social or nuisance behaviour, who claimed that the cyclist was “riding on the footpath” – despite the path in question being designated as a shared-use cycle route since 2011.

Helge Gillmeister was cycling home from work in March, along a path located next to the city’s busy Southway, when she was issued with the fine for breaching the PSPO. Describing her punishment as “ridiculous”, especially due to the presence of signs indicating the path’s shared-use status 30 yards from where she was stopped, Gillmeister quickly and successfully appealed the FPN, with the council agreeing to waive her fine.

Nevertheless, the debacle has inspired the Colchester Cycling Campaign to adopt a policy of “non-cooperation” with the council, while urging cyclists to refuse to give their names or addresses if stopped by wardens for riding their bikes in what campaigners such as Bramhill have described as a “city designed for cars”.