Colchester RTS - News Update

Work on the Clingoe Hill section of the Rapid Transit System (RTS) has now been completed on schedule. The project has delivered a new dedicated bus lane, a pedestrian crossing point, and a new cycle path along the north side of Clingoe Hill.

As with all schemes of this type, an independent road safety audit was carried out after completion. This audit took place in January and identified the need for additional reflective road studs (cat’s eyes). These have now been installed.

Before the new lane can be formally introduced as a restricted bus lane, a legal process known as a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) must be completed. Essex County Council is currently progressing this process, which is expected to be finalised in Feb/March.

Once the TRO is in place, the temporary cones will be removed and existing bus services will be able to use the new lane.

The RTS lane and the new A1331 form part of a wider package of transport infrastructure being delivered to support the new Garden Community development near the University. To help enable this growth, Essex County Council, working alongside Colchester City Council and Tendring District Council, successfully secured £100 million of Government Housing Infrastructure Funding. This reflects the importance of delivering transport improvements ahead of development.

We are pleased that the Clingoe Hill works have been completed in line with the Government funding deadline of March 2026, and we would like to thank residents and road users for their patience while the works were carried out.

Looking ahead, as part of its upcoming planning application, the Garden Community developer, Latimer, will set out its transport strategy. This will include details of the RTS services they are required to provide and how these services will develop as the new community grows.