contact us | previous news article | sign our e-petition The residents of Cuckoo Farm Cottages Colchester are fighting against the councils proposal for a Park & Ride site, just meters from their homes.... more importantly, are you aware of how the provision of such a 'SERVICE' will have an impact on your lives. If you are a regular visitor to Colchester you will eventually notice significant disruption and changes to the road layouts, current car parking facilities and more traffic congestion ....interested? then read on!! Our tranquil setting has already been irreversibly scarred, since work commenced in December 2009 to prepare for the new A12 Junction 28. As you may be aware this junction is now in operation, this has paved the way for the development of the adjoining land to begin. Along with the Park & Ride, we are now being advised of more development possibilities in the surrounding fields.
So far we have had to endure our beautiful landscape being butchered for the new junction and service station, construction has scared away the deer which once lived in the fields, litter is now regularly blowing across the fields from the new service station, along with that, light and noise pollution have increased dramatically. We are not going to be the only people who will suffer from this development, many others will too. For example Brian and Janet King, who own a horticultural growing facility in Boxted Road will be directly affected in several ways, but of most concern to them is the high possibility of water contamination, "We have 2 1/2 acres of glasshouse growing capability, this is watered from bore holes which in effect are fed from Salary Brook, If the water is contaminated with anything like fuel, antifreeze, oil or other chemicals which are products of run-off from the Park & Ride car parking facility, we will not be able to continue watering the plants and therefore eventually lose our business".
Ana Rudder-Grainger, Louise Lockheart and Chris King, some of the residents who will be a stones throw from the new proposed Park & Ride
The main impact that will be felt by existing Colchester visitors and residents will be the reduction in the car parking facilities within the town centre, at present there is still not sufficient car parking during the busy days, however it is the intention of the council to help entice people to use the Park & Ride service by reducing the amount of car parking spaces it offers, this can only be counter productive, many of the people I have asked about this scenario would drop of their passengers and happily sit in a queue, still burning fuel waiting for the next vacant spot to reveal itself. If this is not viable, they then move on ending up doing another circuit of the town centre, until another space is free. How can this be helping the environment, along with no through roads unnnecessary roundabouts and dedicated bus lanes, the council has gone barmy trying to force us to leave our cars at home, but being individuals, we all want to use our vehicles, Its obvious why, we pay so much for their upkeep in road tax, insurance and fuel, we end up like rats in a maze trying to navigate the streets. Security is another great concern to the residents, but not it seems to the developers, along with this we have the possibility of more permanent lighting, cc tv coverage, non-standard parking hours and a new footpath/cycle path. If we allow the council to bulldoze their ideas and plans into the landscape without objections soon we will be enclosed in another concrete and tarmac jungle. We all make choices about where we live, and many people fall in love with their homes because of the surroundings that their property sits among. All the residents here made those choices when moving into their properties, but this tranquil place is now to be taken away from us. We need help, and lots of it, our aim is to prevent any further development of the Cuckoo Farm site. Can you help? You can just sign the petition by clicking the link and filling in your details we can show that we are not alone with our views.......please help us be heard!
Finally if you have any other information that you think may be of significant help please contact us directly by e-mail (click the contact us link at the top of the page or click here) Last updated May 24th 2011 |
