Cycling in Colchester
Colchester - proud to be a Cycling Town
In June 2008 Colchester became one of 11 new Cycling Towns in England with £4.2 million funding until March 2011 to create a much improved cycle network and popularise cycling.
Latest photos of the area
See also a full list of photos in this area.
Millennium Milepost Layer-de-la-haye This milepost is a McColl type and has a T1/2 disk. The mileages on this milepost are: 1) Colchester 6, Hull 376 2) Tiptree 6, London 78 This milepost also has some additional text: A par ... [more]
Millennium Milepost Lexden This milepost is a Rowe type and has a T1/1 disk. The mileages on this milepost are: 1) Colchester 3, Harwich 27 2) Tiptree 8, London 81
Millennium Milepost Colchester This milepost is a McColl type and has a T1/3 disk. The mileages on this milepost are: 1) Wivenhoe 4, Harwich 24, Hull 345 2) Town centre 0.5, London 84 3) Wivenhoe Trail
Millennium Milepost Brinkley Lane This milepost is a Rowe type and has a T5/2 disk. The mileages on this milepost are: 1) Ipswich 23, Hull 366 2) Town centre 2.5, Harwich 28, London 86
Millennium Milepost Langham This milepost is a Rowe type and has a T3/4 disk. The mileages on this milepost are: 1) Colchester 6.5, Harwich 31 2) Ipswich 20, Hull 363
Most disappointed to see these new barriers, which have been installed in the past few weeks on Via Urbis Romanae, Colchester. A complaint is winging way to @essexhighways and the location will be added to our barriers map. What a waste of ... [more]
Not sure what this cyclists dismount sign is for. Tiny private access road that the cycleway crosses. https://t.co/qKfhZAd3Qm
Hi hi @waitrose - We’ve made a few trips to your #Colchester store to collect for customers. See pics attached though, a useful route to and from the carpark/entrance, but is there any chance you could remove the barriers, and widen the a ... [more]
A short section of cycle lane isn't enough for a parent to allow her kids to cycle on the road, after cycling along the riverside path.
NCN1 forks right here, but only indicated by stickers on the lamppost. The path ahead leads towards the main railway station, so could be widened to match the NCN1 path.
The exit from Castle Park onto NCN1 at Middle Mill, and straight ahead the continuing riverside walkway.
Route sign for lit route to town centre. The path over the bridge is lit, but not the route through Castle Park or the riverside walk.
A nice new replacement bridge over the River Colne, but the signs obscure visibility of each other. Also on a round pole, rather than the square poles used elsewhere locally.
A nice replacement bridge over the River Colne, but a pity about the tactiles being the wrong type. The sign reads "Please give way to pedestrians on bridge".
I didn't appreciate it at the time, but this is the junction of NCN1 and NCN51. The sign seems to have lost an arm since #27125 was taken.
A priority crossing for NCN1 over the road to the overflow carpark, but the alignment could be better.
An internal car park road yields to the cycle path, and is closed off with bollards when not in use.
Another view of the road crossing in #88496 on route to the railway station, with NCN1 signage for route via Colchester town centre via a crossing across Cowdray Avenue.
A minor sideroad crossing on the Cowdray Avenue cycle track. I don't think the Dutch would do it like this!
A bit messy, but the footbridge across Turner Road from #88392 comes down here, and cycling across it is allowed.
Quiet on a Sunday morning, but plenty of room for motoring under the Turner Road railway bridge in Colchester. The lane the cyclist is in is a bus lane.
A 'Cyclists Rejoin Carriageway' sign in order to cross a road to get to the next piece of shared-use footway.
An 'End of Route' sign marks the end of this cycle route, but another route starts on the footway across the road. It can't be related to this one, can it?
A narrow line-segregated cycleway alongside the Westway. I wonder if the designer thinks it is possible to pass someone coming the other way without crossing the white line. But no-one is likely to get into trouble for doing so.
The direct route to Colchester town centre has traffic restrictions so the sign for car drivers points towards the Westway, unlike the sign for cyclists.
Traffic restrictions on residential North Station Road, to try and move through car traffic onto the Westway.
A cycle lane suddenly appears on North Station Road, approaching another roundabout, just when cyclists need to be positioning themselves further to the right unless they happen to be turning left.
Traffic restrictions to try and move through car traffic onto the Westway instead of North Station Road.
A shared-use footway around the Albert Roundabout, but what happens around the corner? Does the lack of an 'End of Route' sign imply it continues, or should cyclists go back onto the road?
A shared-use footway around the Albert Roundabout, with toucan crossings across some arms. But the path in the foreground is just a footway.
A wide 40mph A-road but no room for a dedicated cycleway on this side. Just a shared footway on the opposite side.
Jumping between footway and carriageway cycling at each roundabout, but with no obvious thought given to the transition.
Just a sticker on a lamppost for directions. Proper signage should be used, especially for on-road routes where cyclists may have to make a turn decision with an impatient car driver trying to get past.
So I guess anyone seeing the state of the track ahead will be on the lookout for evidence that the cycle route does turn here, but still the sticker on the fencepost behind the mesh is not nearly adequate signage. The whole corner could be ... [more]
An attempt has been made to brighten up this narrow passageway under the railway, but no-one has come back to keep it in good order.
A route sign for the route to the right on a square post, but only stickers for the route straight ahead through the tunnel.
The white line appears to suggest the cycle route crosses the road, but the shared use provision continues straight ahead.
Compacted gravel (although top surface is still rather loose) has been added atop the resurfaced section of shared-use pathway through High Woods Country Park. See also #70739.
Bicycle-shaped cycle parking and track pump outside Halfords. There are also some Cyclehoops attached to the wall.
Puddle across the width of the riverside shared use pathway, part of National Cycle Network Route 51.
The shared use cycle path between Bergholt Road Allotments and North Station is badly broken up (see also #71970, #71971, #71972).
The shared use cycle path between Bergholt Road Allotments and North Station is badly broken up (see also #71970, #71971, #71973).
The shared use cycle path between Bergholt Road Allotments and North Station is badly broken up (see also #71970, #71972, #71973).
The shared use cycle path between Bergholt Road Allotments and North Station is badly broken up (see also #71971, #71972, #71973).
Some of the shared use pathway through High Woods Country Park has been resurfaced (see #65169 prior to resurfacing). Unclear if it's going to remain as it is or have a gravel coating applied to be in keeping with original path, or when the ... [more]
New double yellow lines and a nice big shared-use sign on this stretch of NCN Route 1, off Cowdray Avenue. (It was previously being used as a car park -- see #60192.)
Eight Sheffield cycle stands were removed* from the High Street (see #17765) at the end of March, 2015, to make way for Colchester Market, which would be moving there, Fri - Sun. No alternative provision was planned at that time, and still ... [more]
Broken bikes and broken locks are a too familiar sight behind the Brewers Arms on St Johns Street. See also #65992.
You needn't have a quality bike but if you cherish what you ride use a decent lock and mind where you lock it. Broken bikes and broken locks are a too familiar sight behind the Brewers Arms on St Johns Street. See also #65993.
Bikes locked to railings at the bottom of Sheergate Steps suggesting a need for more cycle stands in the area.
NCN1 taking you offroad on approach to Tiptree. Passable on a roadbike, take care with potholes and loose surface
Save This Crossing and Save a Life "Essex County Council are planning to remove this crossing. This is to make cars and lorries go faster. "By doing so it will endanger the lives of pedestrians and cyclists. No detaills of definite al ... [more]
This crossing is planned to be removed by Rodney Bass and Essex County council, and moved some 200 metres further away from the roundabout (on right). "t is proposed to remove the existing crossing on Colne Bank Avenue, to the west of it ... [more]
Width, safety, and comfort dramatically reduced by Essex County Council's insistence that the parapets are protected by obstructive, unnecessary means. Take to the left of the concrete bollards (when the sign for motorists isn't in place ... [more]
Width, safety, and comfort dramatically reduced by Essex County Council's insistence that the parapets are protected by obstructive, unnecessary means. See also #62514.
Hilly Fields has some new cycle friendly access & despite the hill climb it is possible to get shopping through it easily & trailer too
A shared path that the Colchester Council allows pavement parking as done nothing to stop it or ticketed anyone after complaints made. Update: improved in 2015 see #68115.
Cycle parking at McDonalds drive-thru as not allowed to be served like you can in a car. Its only for their customers so rest of Tollgate cant use it.
its the only cycle parking available at Tollgate, but now hidden away to those cycling through when they built Costa in front of it & was months before I even knew it was there when I moved into the area & wouldnt use it as kids play on it.
Homebase, another store that uses its Cycle parking for promotional goods, store trolleys etc. no room to park bike
A project originating from Cambridge Cycling Campaign // Hosting kindly helped by Mythic Beasts
Short link: https://cycle.st/area/
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