PLANS to turn a busy roundabout in Colchester into a Dutch style roundabout giving priority to cyclists and pedestrians have been boosted by £7 million of funding.

Essex County Council is set to receive the investment from the Department of Transport, which announced a £175 million package to boost cycling and walking across the country.

At £7,358,700, Essex is set to receive the highest allocation of any county in England.

A portion of the money will be used to drive forward a plan to create two segregated cycle routes across parts of Colchester.

A route would be created from Mile End Road to Butt Road and would connect to a proposed rapid transit system, which will link the Park and Ride to the town centre and the planned 9,000-home garden community north east of Colchester.

It would pass through the North Station roundabout, where cyclists would have “improved segregation”.

The route continues along Station Way, the Essex Hall roundabout and along North Station Road to the Albert roundabout.

The plans say: “At the Albert Roundabout, crossing improvements will be introduced with a view to a longer-term desire to convert this roundabout to a ‘Dutch-style’ model.”

Dutch style roundabouts have been influenced by designs from the Netherlands.

They give priority to cyclists and pedestrians with an inner ring for cars and an outer one for cyclists.

The second planned route runs from the junction of Spring Lane to East Hill.

It would have a segregated cycleway along Lexden Road.

Some roads off of Lexden Road, close to a number of schools, will be designated a school street zone with 20mph limits.

It means only pedestrians and cyclists can use the roads at school start and finish times.

There will also be a 20mph limit.

The route continues along Crouch Street to Balkerne Hill where a new crossing would be introduced.

The report suggests cyclists will be supported by the “removal of parking” in Crouch Street.

The route continues along St John’s Street, Vineyard Street and Priory ending on East Hill.

The council is also working on plans to improve cycling and walking routes in Basildon, Braintree, Brentwood and Chelmsford.

Councillor Kevin Bentley, county councillor responsible for infrastructure, said: “Our schemes are radical.

“We have created a blueprint for active travel which will put Essex at the forefront of sustainable transport.

“These schemes will change the way residents use and think about their streets - spending more time in more attractive streets, where motorised traffic no longer dominates to the same extent.

“Not only will this be safer, greener and healthier, but it can also support the local economy by attracting people back to shopping and leisure in our town centres.”

He added: “Everyone understands that as more and more homes are built, our roads and our lungs cannot take the strain.

“I am not against cars – they are vital in our rural county, but where we can, we should all sometimes choose to leave the car at home. It is up to us to make those choices possible.

“The future demands sustainable transport and a different future requires revolutionary thinking.

“We will be reallocating road space – but only where it makes sense – and we will be consulting publicly on all proposals”

Each of the five schemes will now be developed in detail with advice from steering groups."