Cycle routes get £1.4m funding

The county council has agreed to make improvements to cycle routes in Essex due to government funding

Cycling routes are due to be improved in two places in Essex due to £1.4m in funding from the government's Active Travel Funds.

Essex County Council has agreed to use the money to improve areas in Chelmsford and Harlow, with the aim of easing congestion.

As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the council said: "The overall effect will make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists and, in so doing, deliver improvements to the health and wellbeing of those using the proposed facilities."

Chelmsford has already benefitted from a range of active travel measures through the previous funding given to the authority.

An existing zebra crossing, in Pump Lane, Chelmsford, is due to be upgraded to a toucan crossing along with resurfacing the cycle lanes.

In Harlow, an uncontrolled crossing on the Northern Arm of Howard Way roundabout is to be replaced with a toucan crossing - a pedestrian crossing which has lanes for cycles to cross as well.

The statement added: "On the road network, traffic has returned to pre-pandemic flows with car journeys being back to pre-pandemic levels."

The council said Chelmsford and Harlow "have historically suffered from congestion" and the improvements would help to ease it during school runs and rush hours.