Colchester High Street car ban launch branded chaotic

12:38pm Monday 18th March 2013 in News

AN 18-month trial of Colchester's High Street car ban has been branded "chaotic".

From 11am this morning, all vehicles bar buses, bikes, motorbikes and taxis were banned from turning right from Head Street onto High Street.

But 30 seconds after the clock struck 11, five cars and a van had already ignored the restrictions.

A few minutes later, officers from Colchester Council and Essex County Council started informing motorists about the restrictions before directing them down North Hill.

By 11.45am, at least nine motorists who had parked in what were previously disabled bays had been given tickets by traffic wardens.

A few minutes later, senior Colchester Council officers tore off the tickets from the windscreens, saying enforcement would not start until later this week.

County Hall workers started painting lines and restrictions on Middleborough and North Hill at around 10am this morning, before moving onto Head Street.

Michelle Reynolds, chairman of Colchester Retail/Business Association, said: "This is just chaotic."

See Tuesday's Gazette for a special report

Comments(54)

Boris says...
12:42pm Mon 18 Mar 13

These things are always chaotic at the start, give it a few days and then criticise.

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jammin says...
12:45pm Mon 18 Mar 13

No, criticise from the start. The whole thing is a farce.

Shut the high street completely to all traffic and be done with it.

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Wicky1 says...
12:50pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Day 2 Monday: Went in on my motorcycle at 11.30am not many cars driving through but followed by a couple of cars as there was no enforcement in place. Noticed lots of parked cars either side of High St that presumably drove in and parked before 11am. Will they be hit by a fine when they drive off after 11am, or will they wait until after 6pm to leave??

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Garyrae says...
12:51pm Mon 18 Mar 13

jammin wrote:
No, criticise from the start. The whole thing is a farce.

Shut the high street completely to all traffic and be done with it.
This opinion is spouted quite a lot on this website and it makes no sense at all. How do you propose traffic accesses Queen St? Re-route all the way down the Southway, down Magdalen Street, then back up East Hill?

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HARRY438 says...
1:03pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Dutch Q. peaceful,rat-run blocked.

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jut1972 says...
1:10pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Not having the lines painted in time seems daft, that could have been done Sunday night. Apparently Head St is a nightmare today.

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rowhedge-dave says...
1:19pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Am I missing the point?

Who or what benefits from this scheme.

From reports, it is not the shop owners, or other businesses on the High Street.

Neither do shoppers benifit.

Pollution will only be moved from one area of the town to another.

And it will have cost the Council Tax payers thousands of pounds.

Sorry, I don't wish to appear obtuse, but I just can't see the point or purpose
Of this ill conceived scheme.

So, just who or what is this partial vehicle ban suppose to achieve?

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TheCaptain says...
1:22pm Mon 18 Mar 13

High Street is nice and peaceful though. All the shoppers going about their business as normal.

Surprised the lines and signs etc weren't all in place

Perhaps the first day is chaotic, but that what happens when things are changed. If this had all run smoothly I'm sure the same people would still be complaining.

Lets all just see how it goes.

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Wicky1 says...
1:24pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Presumably, with deterring cars from the town centre it'll allow the buses to run more reliably creating an incentive to hop on a bus, pushbike, m'bike to come into town. Folk can still drop off / pick up passengers nearby or park as normal.

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rowhedge-dave says...
1:39pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Wicky1 wrote:
Presumably, with deterring cars from the town centre it'll allow the buses to run more reliably creating an incentive to hop on a bus, pushbike, m'bike to come into town. Folk can still drop off / pick up passengers nearby or park as normal.
I take your point, but surely this is a case of many being inconvenienced for the sake of a few.

The solution would be a dedicated tram system linked to a park and ride but a bit ambitious for Colchester?

The Hight Street could them be fully pedestrianised.

Come on CBC and ECC let's have some grown up thinking to resolve this problem.

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Colonel Kurtz says...
1:40pm Mon 18 Mar 13

North Hill was blocked by line painters this morning. 5 council workers in hi-vis were standing around in a group doing nothing. Looks like it was not given much thought.

But what I can’t see is why just cars are restricted. Why not make it a pedestrian only in the afternoon and have a proper market stands, craft markets, Christmas markets, cafe alfresco style. At the moment its half hearted and a lame effort and achieves nothing. How is this going to lure people back to the high street when its harder to get there in the first place before the park and ride is up and running

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TheCaptain says...
1:43pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Colonel Kurtz wrote:
North Hill was blocked by line painters this morning. 5 council workers in hi-vis were standing around in a group doing nothing. Looks like it was not given much thought.

But what I can’t see is why just cars are restricted. Why not make it a pedestrian only in the afternoon and have a proper market stands, craft markets, Christmas markets, cafe alfresco style. At the moment its half hearted and a lame effort and achieves nothing. How is this going to lure people back to the high street when its harder to get there in the first place before the park and ride is up and running
Where would the buses go?

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Colonel Kurtz says...
2:24pm Mon 18 Mar 13

TheCaptain wrote:
Colonel Kurtz wrote:
North Hill was blocked by line painters this morning. 5 council workers in hi-vis were standing around in a group doing nothing. Looks like it was not given much thought.

But what I can’t see is why just cars are restricted. Why not make it a pedestrian only in the afternoon and have a proper market stands, craft markets, Christmas markets, cafe alfresco style. At the moment its half hearted and a lame effort and achieves nothing. How is this going to lure people back to the high street when its harder to get there in the first place before the park and ride is up and running
Where would the buses go?
The new bus station?

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SOMETHING2SAY says...
2:48pm Mon 18 Mar 13

load of b********

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executive says...
3:03pm Mon 18 Mar 13

It should be buses only. Why should motorcycles and taxis be an exception in the High Street or bus lanes? Bus lanes by very their name are for buses.

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executive says...
3:04pm Mon 18 Mar 13

It should be buses only. Why should motorcycles and taxis be an exception in the High Street or bus lanes? Bus lanes by very their name are for buses.

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Dazza2009 says...
4:19pm Mon 18 Mar 13

How can you ban everything from the high street??? Businesses need delieveries & without them then they will either close or move to some other location out of the town centre.

I have lived in this town for over 35 years & this is 1 of the worst planned ideas that has come up in that time.

What next will they come up with??? Make the whole town an every type of vehicle exclusion zone to kill the town centre totally & make it into a ghost shopping area???

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SalmonHead says...
4:27pm Mon 18 Mar 13

The ban is Idiotic, not chaotic

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romantic says...
4:30pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Dazza2009 wrote:
How can you ban everything from the high street??? Businesses need delieveries & without them then they will either close or move to some other location out of the town centre.

I have lived in this town for over 35 years & this is 1 of the worst planned ideas that has come up in that time.

What next will they come up with??? Make the whole town an every type of vehicle exclusion zone to kill the town centre totally & make it into a ghost shopping area???
Deliveries are not banned, they have to be done by 11.00. They do this in towns and cities around the country without a problem.

I think this is a good idea, but like some others, would want to see it moving towards full pedestrianisation within these hours. People need to switch to public transport or park in the car parks around town, rather than assume that they should be able to drive to any point in town.

We need to give this a proper trial, not abandon it within the first 2 days.

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Dazza2009 says...
4:42pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Remember this town is unlike any other town as it is built in a roman way which dates back nearly 2000 years... All that has happened is that is has buily up & out using the same roads over the centuries.... so how can colchester be compared with other towns???

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someguyoverthere says...
4:43pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Well the roads around the the town were absolutely horrible also due to the new route upon collecting my mother from the hospital it took nearly an hour to drop her at home on the high street.

Quite honestly **** the council side ways with a barbed pole. Bunch of morons.

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Dazza2009 says...
4:43pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Built*

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mirokou says...
4:56pm Mon 18 Mar 13

jammin wrote:
No, criticise from the start. The whole thing is a farce.

Shut the high street completely to all traffic and be done with it.
here here. 100% or nothing . Banning only public cars pointless probably about 15%of all traffic anyway. Taxi rank in St Nicholas Square , nice tasteful tram/trolley bus ,hop on hop off, up and down the High street to get you to your buses or taxis . Pedestrians only between 10 and 6 everyday. This will not kill business. I avoid the High street like the plague , dirty noisy too much traffic, turn it into some place you want to be hey presto the shoppers return

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mirokou says...
5:05pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Two way traffic Head street down to the Southway, left or right turn onto Southway by placement of lights so North Hill still in use and allows alternate route around town.

Butt road one lane ahead for Head street only ,dedicated right turn lane onto Southway. leave filter left in place.

Reverse flow Priory street for resident access and car park access.

Dutch quarter allow full access from St Peters right up to High street although no access onto High street between 10 and 6

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Stockers83 says...
5:18pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Colonel Kurtz wrote:
TheCaptain wrote:
Colonel Kurtz wrote:
North Hill was blocked by line painters this morning. 5 council workers in hi-vis were standing around in a group doing nothing. Looks like it was not given much thought.

But what I can’t see is why just cars are restricted. Why not make it a pedestrian only in the afternoon and have a proper market stands, craft markets, Christmas markets, cafe alfresco style. At the moment its half hearted and a lame effort and achieves nothing. How is this going to lure people back to the high street when its harder to get there in the first place before the park and ride is up and running
Where would the buses go?
The new bus station?
And how do you suggest they get to the bus station ???

Gee, Some people, Do you work for the council with thinking like that ?!?!?

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Jess Jephcott says...
5:39pm Mon 18 Mar 13

It's early days yet. It is certainly nice to have a quiet High Street. I missed the traffic gridlock that was promised by the moaning minnies. Where was it?

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Stockers83 says...
5:40pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Jess Jephcott wrote:
It's early days yet. It is certainly nice to have a quiet High Street. I missed the traffic gridlock that was promised by the moaning minnies. Where was it?
Some people have nothing better to moan about.....

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jut1972 says...
7:15pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Jess Jephcott wrote:
It's early days yet. It is certainly nice to have a quiet High Street. I missed the traffic gridlock that was promised by the moaning minnies. Where was it?
Head street apparently.

But no the lines are painted, the signs are up, fingers crossed tomorrow will be semi-chaotic.

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25414nora says...
8:48pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Today 2.30 pm..Nunns road multi story.. I witnessed elderly and disabled people, some quite severely disabled, struggling with their wheel chairs, trying to reach high street, and the shops.

A little later, at 4.30 pm, I noted the high street was almost deserted, there were dossers in shop doorways, and rows and rows of busses with very few passengers...

So this is progress...?

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Reginald47 says...
12:00am Tue 19 Mar 13

I could breath in the High St at 5pm. Wonderful!

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Eachtotheirown says...
7:37am Tue 19 Mar 13

Not quite sure why West Stockwell Street was blocked off before 11???

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troggymole says...
9:25am Tue 19 Mar 13

I am a small business owner on North Hill. This morning (Tuesday 18th) it has taken me over half an hour to get into work, and the same for my colleague. I cannot afford to lose at least one working hour every day - in what way is this scheme helping small business in the town? Times are hard enough already for everyone, adding chaos to our town is unlikely to encourage trade, visitors or money coming in. I'm thinking of relocating!

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someguyoverthere says...
10:10am Tue 19 Mar 13

Well this morning it took me 55 minutes to get to my parking behind the high street which only access is via the high street. The drive usually takes 10-15 minutes. This is bloody ridiculous. How will the council react if I start **** with there livings.

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someguyoverthere says...
10:33am Tue 19 Mar 13

Reginald47 wrote:
I could breath in the High St at 5pm. Wonderful!
Ironic seeing as it's busses that cause the pollution. Our fleet of over priced privies are far from environmentally friendly

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bev52 says...
11:55am Tue 19 Mar 13

I think traffic should be left to run as normal everyday except a Friday and Saturday when the High Street should be closed to ALL traffic and the Market reinstated there.
Colchester is mean't to be a market town but at the moment you have to go searching for the stalls all over the place and I for one don't bother anymore.
If it was in the High Street together it would bring in more traders and more public would come for market days, bringing back much needed trade to the High Street.

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Reginald47 says...
12:49pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Let's face it the market's not what it was and never will be. You can get the same stuff just as cheaply in ordinary shops or online. Perhaps we don't need it any more then Culver Street could be used for blue badge parking every day.

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G.Speel says...
3:41pm Tue 19 Mar 13

It was only chaotic because people did not make allowance for it when planning their journey into Colchester. All you have to do is engage your brain and think about it. Give it time and you will soon get used to it and it will work well as it does elsewhere. I have to say though that bikes and motorcycles should not be allowed in the High Street either.

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HARRY438 says...
3:45pm Tue 19 Mar 13

jut1972 wrote:
Jess Jephcott wrote:
It's early days yet. It is certainly nice to have a quiet High Street. I missed the traffic gridlock that was promised by the moaning minnies. Where was it?
Head street apparently.

But no the lines are painted, the signs are up, fingers crossed tomorrow will be semi-chaotic.
West Stockwell st. Is now the early morning rat run for vans coming into town. Why is it with rat runs that they all put their foot down as tho they have stolen the motor?

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omgwtfbbq says...
8:12pm Tue 19 Mar 13

G.Speel wrote:
It was only chaotic because people did not make allowance for it when planning their journey into Colchester. All you have to do is engage your brain and think about it. Give it time and you will soon get used to it and it will work well as it does elsewhere. I have to say though that bikes and motorcycles should not be allowed in the High Street either.
it only works in other towns because they have more roads that can be used instead and blue badge holders are not banned.

It will never work in Colchester as there isn't enough other routes and the routes that are there are blocked by people ignoring keep clear signs, people queue jumping using the wrong lanes causing bottle necks, and some even making extra lanes where none exist.

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elking says...
8:51pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Some of the oldest and most historic buildings in Colchester line East Hill and East Street. There is already evidence of increased traffic along these streets due to the closure of the High Street. Surely this is not looking after the town's heritage. These buildings are going to suffer immensely due to an ill thought out plan.

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cjking says...
9:36pm Tue 19 Mar 13

18 months seems a long time to me to work out whether or not shops and business are seriously affected by these changes and whether or not the increased traffic on Colchester's orbital roads of Cowdray, Southway, Westway, Balkerne Hill and Magdelen Street cause a commuting headache. People are using the High Street for a reason and not just 'for the fun of it'.

I asked councillor Derrick Louis to apply to research, analysis and statistical evidence that these proposals at the expense of the council tax payer have a beneficial or detrimental effect upon businesses on the High Street in addition to understanding potential traffic changes to orbital roads during the consultation period, but this was ignored.

Anyone who knows anything about the town of Colchester can clearly see the vast majority of the Colchester town centre is already pedestrianised and is a wonderful environment to shop. Will it really make that much difference to do the same to the High Street?

All in all, I think a one month trial would be more sensible than 18 months and, in any case, the whole proposal should have been based on evidence and analysis rather than someone's whim.

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QuarpQuarp says...
11:37am Wed 20 Mar 13

i agree with cjking... the bulk of the town centre is already pedestrianised, and including the southern side of the high street because most of the shops there link through to culver street or have an alley nearby. There are plenty of pedestrian crossings to take people to the few shops on the northern side of the high street.

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geofferz1 says...
1:40pm Wed 20 Mar 13

I feel that there needs to be special permits (free and hassle free obtainable is recommended) from the town hall for musicians needing to load and perform at the Town Hall. Obviously, this goes for the attendees of Weddings there too.

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fact says...
2:13pm Wed 20 Mar 13

In town a while back, High Street & Head Street was at a standstill blocked with traffic. An emergency vehicle, blue lights and siren blaring couldn't go any where as cars couldn't move to let it past. Hopefully this makes it easier for emergency vehicles. Also, I don't drive, but what else annoys me about all this, is that many drivers are ignoring the road closure sign, and still progress down the high street. They should be fined and told to take an urgent eye test. If they can't read that sort of sign, what other road signs can't they read. All road signs need to be obeyed.

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cjking says...
8:50pm Wed 20 Mar 13

fact wrote:
In town a while back, High Street & Head Street was at a standstill blocked with traffic. An emergency vehicle, blue lights and siren blaring couldn't go any where as cars couldn't move to let it past. Hopefully this makes it easier for emergency vehicles. Also, I don't drive, but what else annoys me about all this, is that many drivers are ignoring the road closure sign, and still progress down the high street. They should be fined and told to take an urgent eye test. If they can't read that sort of sign, what other road signs can't they read. All road signs need to be obeyed.
I agree with your comments about the High Steet, but Headgate is now a complete disaster and gridlocked. Bus stops are on the left and buses are trying to move from the left side of Headgate to the right to head down the high street. Other vehicles such as residents and business are arriving on the right side of Headgate and attempting to move left to head down North Hill. The result is a melting pot of gridlocked drivers at odds with each other.

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someguyoverthere says...
10:55am Thu 21 Mar 13

fact wrote:
In town a while back, High Street & Head Street was at a standstill blocked with traffic. An emergency vehicle, blue lights and siren blaring couldn't go any where as cars couldn't move to let it past. Hopefully this makes it easier for emergency vehicles. Also, I don't drive, but what else annoys me about all this, is that many drivers are ignoring the road closure sign, and still progress down the high street. They should be fined and told to take an urgent eye test. If they can't read that sort of sign, what other road signs can't they read. All road signs need to be obeyed.
I remember that it was caused by a broken down bus at Queen Street near where it connects to the high street. Hardly cars faults though is it?

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Eachtotheirown says...
9:31pm Thu 21 Mar 13

Is there any reason why West Stockwell Street has been blocked off at the High Street end? Can understand bollards up during closure times but why are they up continuously? Have I missed something? Anyone put me straight on this?

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Jess Jephcott says...
12:40pm Fri 22 Mar 13

Reading the above, car drivers certainly seem to have the attitude that they have a God given right to inflict themselves on the rest of us. I don't want to breath in your carcinogenic fumes any more than I want to breath in your cigarette smoke. This halfway measure by the council is good as far as it goes and I hope they go further with it after the end of the trial period. Without a doubt, by then, these lard-arsed car drivers will have adapted their anti-social behaviour to match that of car drivers in other towns; those that have pleasant, car and bus free town centres. I can't wait. I am heartily fed up with hearing all this selfish whining.

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D_Q_Resident says...
2:17pm Sat 23 Mar 13

I would also like to know why the bollards at the top of West Stockwell St are permanently closed.
Some commenters seem to have hijacked the issue and created a them and us situation between car drivers and pedestrians.
I live in West Stockwell St and do not own a car.Most of the street is narrow and residential with the majority of businesses situated up near the High St. We now have delivery vans, and a steady flow of traffic up and down from 6.30 a.m. every morning so far. This is adversely affecting air quality, noise pollution and road safety for every resident. These roads are just not suitable for this volume of traffic, as the potholes show.
I am not opposed to the scheme as a whole but having the bollards in place only between 11-6, in line with the High St restrictions, would surely make sense.

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jeffbridges says...
11:46pm Sat 23 Mar 13

D Q resident,
this-
"We now have delivery vans, and a steady flow of traffic up and down from 6.30 a.m. every morning so far. This is adversely affecting air quality, noise pollution and road safety for every resident.""

ask J J`s point of view on your comments.

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HARRY438 says...
8:49am Sun 24 Mar 13

Many of the vans that tear up W.Stockwell St. in the mornings think its a short cut to the town centre, but they get to the top where its blocked & roar down again. If it keeps on snowing it will take a tank to get up W/S St. & that will solve the traffic problem.
I wonder how Pizza Express are coping with deliveries?For years 20+ton trucks parked on the pavement unloading at regular intervals in a week.Now they are too long for the corner of Northgate St. & W/S St.

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Catchedicam says...
11:51am Sun 24 Mar 13

Don't often agree with Jess Jephcott, but totally agree on this, except its too little too late, needs a total ban on traffic on High Street during the day.
Lets make Colchester welcoming to visitors instead of safety hazard.

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RetiredVal says...
8:23pm Sun 24 Mar 13

I visited Colchester High Street again today. I know the cars are banned, but where are the people?

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HARRY438 says...
8:57pm Sun 24 Mar 13

RetiredVal wrote:
I visited Colchester High Street again today. I know the cars are banned, but where are the people?
Retail parks? With their cars?

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