PROPOSALS are being drawn up to link a new garden village east of Colchester to the town using light rail.

As part of the bid for the A12 cash, focused on the west side of Colchester, a separate £65 million scheme could also see a new road linking the A120 to the A133 along the eastern boundary of the new controversial new town.

The cash could also pay for a “rapid transit route” which would connect new residents to Essex University, the Hythe station and Colchester Town station.

If the scheme is given the go-ahead, the latter could stop being used as a mainline station and simply be used to connect the town to the Hythe, where a transport exchange could be built to accommodate the light rail line and the town centre shuttle.

In the bid for the Government cash, it states: “It would provide capacity and access to enable parcels of residential developments to come forward sooner than programmed.

“It improves access to the university of Essex and provides a connection into new employment park.”

The bid also states sustainable transport “as opposed to just road-based” solutions is essential.