Do You Know Your Colchester Bus Stops?

Well, that’s about to change as Bus Stops in Colchester Town Centre are set for a shake-up.

Summary

Essex has been working in partnership with CBC and bus operators to make changes to bus stops around Colchester. Key improvements will include bus service punctuality, reductions in bus stop congestion and better customer information in relation to the services using a bus stop.  Key measures include:

• Opening up the spare capacity on the current Park & Ride only stops.
• Grouping services that serve common corridors to use the same stops, as a result, there will be reduced pressure at key stops and less confusion being experienced by passengers.

As a result, key benefits to both customers and bus operations include:

• Reducing vehicle and passenger congestion around most bus stops, particularly around the bus station and High Street.
• Allowing buses to use their designated stop more easily.
• Allowing buses to reach the kerb to improve access to board.
• Improving bus reliability by reducing boarding delays and ‘bus stacking’ at stops.
• Reducing the need to change bus stop flag wording resulting from service changes.

The changes will take effect from Sunday 21st October.

Downloads for more details

• New Colchester Bus Stand Allocations – Map & Routes.
• Reallocation of Colchester bus stops FAQs.

Read on below for more information about the project.

Background

When the on-street bus station in Osborne Street and Stanwell Street was created, bus services were allocated to bus stops at the new interchange and around the Town Centre to regulate their use.  The bus network around Colchester has now developed and due to increased service frequency
and the introduction of new routes, the pressure on bus stops has increased. It has now become clear that this is making it difficult for both buses and the public to use them properly; this reduces the attractiveness, reliability and economic viability of the town’s bus services.

These problems were raised by the public and bus companies both directly with the County and Borough Councils and through the Colchester Bus Blueprint Group. The Colchester Bus Blueprint Group is a working group set up between Essex County Council, Colchester Borough Council and
the major commercial bus operators (First Essex Buses, Arriva and Hedingham Omnibus). The group has the aim of supporting, improving and promoting bus use in Colchester.

Actions being taken

Following in-depth consultation with the bus operators, it was agreed to alter the allocation of services to bus stops at the bus station and around the Town Centre. Key measures include:

• Opening up the spare capacity on the current Park & Ride only stops.
• Grouping services that serve common corridors to use the same stops, as a result, there will be reduced pressure at key stops and less confusion being experienced by passengers.

As a result of the changes, the majority of bus stops will have fewer services calling at them. Stops that are underused now may have more services calling at them and be better suited to deal with the increased capacity. The reallocation gives the opportunity to improve information on bus stop flags and at bus stops.

As part of the simplification process, a written descriptor for the corridor(s) which that stop serves will be used instead of putting bus service numbers on the bus stop flags. This will normally indicate the direction of travel of the services at the stop, although some will show ultimate destinations.