Colchester City Council Preferred Options Local Plan Regulation 18 Consultation 2025

Colchester Satellite Villages Cycle Route
Introduction
Colchester is surrounded by several villages, most of which are within a 3-5 mile range from the city centre and fairly evenly distributed around the edge of the city.

Inspiration for this route came from the existing Colchester orbital route around the city centre, as well as the network of South Suffolk Cycle Routes (e.g. the A2 route between Sudbury and East Bergholt via Bures and Nayland).


Colchester Satellite Villages Cycle Route would have the following goals:


• To provide a signposted (physical and/or online) route that circumnavigates Colchester city, passing through many of the satellite villages.
• To encourage cycling short distances between villages, for example to/from pubs and shops, as well as leisure destinations such as the Northern Gateway Sports Park.
• To link villages to radial routes from the city centre.
• To link villages to national and international cycling routes (NCN1, NCN13, EV2)
• To link to the Colchester Orbital at Hythe
• Linking villages outside the route via spurs, e.g. Copford to Marks Tey, West Mersea to Abberton
• Providing suggested segments for circular or linear leisure routes further outside Colchester (for example a signposted connection to the South Suffolk Routes where they border with Essex)
• Providing a target point for infrastructure in and out of Colchester centre (for example the A134 to Horkesley).


Route outline

The route is an estimated 33.6 miles (subject to variations), mostly along country lanes, with some sections using existing cycle paths/bridleways (Grimes Dyke, Rowhedge Trail, Wivenhoe Trail), and some sections prospectively requiring changes to right of way (in the absence of alternative viable links).

The route North of Colchester tracks quite closely to the A12 in order to incorporate the Sports Park as a focal point of the route. Due to the relatively extensive lanes around this area, it would also be possible to include an alternate route encompassing Great Horkesley, Boxted and Langham, which would then become a circular route from the Sports Park.

Section 1: Colchester Sports Park - Horkesley Heath - West Bergholt Bergholt
4.37 miles

Known issues:
Links from Ivy Lodge Road to Coach Road are poor - either on the A134 or via footpaths near Tile House Lane and Monarch Lane.

A134 is not a safe cycle route into Colchester.

Bergholt Road/B1058 is not a safe cycle route into Colchester.

Section 2: Bergholt - Stanway - Birch Road
6.26 miles
This mostly follows NCN13 and is therefore fairly well established. Crossings across Layer Road could be improved.

A spur should be added linking the route to Copford and Marks Tey (requires significant infrastructure improvements). Additionally if there was a suitable crossing of the A120 and A12 near Marks Tey an alternative route could be added taking in Eight Ash Green/Copford/Marks Tey, again this would require significant infrastructure changes

A spur could be added linking this part of the route to Colchester Zoo, the zoo is adjacent to a network of bridleways off NCN 13 so this is mostly a signposting issue (including within the zoo).

Section 3: Birch Road - Layer - Abberton - Langenhoe - Fingringhoe - Rowhedge


6.96 miles
Mostly country lanes and quiet village roads.

Possible (bridleway) alternative route from Layer to Rowhedge through Friday Woods.

Potential for an official spur from Abberton Road to the Garrison Route via Bounsted Road (requires a better crossing across Berechurch Hall Road).

Known issues: traffic can be quite fast on Fingringhoe Road

Section 4: Rowhedge - Hythe - Wivenhoe
4.46 miles
Uses the existing Rowhedge trail and Wivenhoe trail

Known issues:
Barriers on the Rowhedge trail.
Maintenance issues on King Edwards Quay and flooding on Wivenhoe Trail


Section 5: Wivenhoe - Elmstead Market - Ardleigh
7.30 miles



This section has to cross both the A133 and A120, limiting the possible routes significantly.

The suggested route uses the public footpath/farm track that links Elmstead Church Road to Bromley Road, by doing so significant sections use quiet lanes or are off the road. This public footpath already appears to enjoy some informal permissive use by cyclists, but to become part of an official route this would need to be formalised.

Other options are a long diversion via Great Bromley, or bypassing Wivenhoe entirely and reaching Bromley Road via Salary Brook, neither of which are particularly desirable.






Section 6 - Ardleigh - Langham - Sports Park

4.25 miles

Known issues:
Requires a surface and signposting upgrade to a short section of Bridleway off Langham Lane which is currently unsurfaced agricultural field and not easily visible from the road.

Turnpike Close to Wick Lane is relatively quiet but disjointed so may need waypointing.