RESIDENTS are being encouraged to have their say to shape the future of transport in Braintree after the launch of a consultation to tackle congestion.

Created by Essex County Council in partnership with Braintree Council, the new Braintree Future Transport Strategy seeks to reduce congestion in the town.

The strategy consultation sets out the current transport issues, as well as a strategy for how transport schemes will be approached in the future.

Once agreed upon, it will help identify and prioritise potential schemes, ranging from small-scale improvements and interventions to larger-scale strategic projects.  

Lesley Wagland OBE, infrastructure and planning boss at Essex County Council, said: “Car use is very important, particularly in more rural areas, but the reality is that we often jump into the car for very short journeys.

“If all of us travelling in Braintree used a different form of transport just twice a week, we would remove around 50,000 peak-time car journeys each day from the town.

“This would have a significant impact on congestion, through traffic, air quality and our health and well-being.

“But we know that to do this we need to plan and invest in making it easier and preferable to use those other forms of transport, whether that be walking, cycling or public transport.

“The proposed town Future Transport Strategy looks to address this, creating a blueprint which will help to assess and then prioritise future schemes for funding.”

The new transport strategy sets out three zones with different priorities for the town centre, the wider town area and the strategic road network which supports Braintree.

Gabrielle Spray, planning and infrastructure boss at Braintree Council, said: “The strategy gives Braintree the opportunity to embrace the future enabling us to enhance connectivity and provide, better faster and more reliable journeys in a way that puts transport firmly onto the climate change trajectory.”

A consultation on the new strategy is now open, with residents, businesses and visitors to the town encouraged to give their views.

For more information, visit www.essexhighways.org/braintree-town-future-transport-strategy