Colchester Council Backs Six-Game Stadium Barrier Trial

Colchester City Council has voted to back a six-game trial that would lift the barrier from United Way on to Boxted Road for an hour after Colchester United men’s home matches. The motion passed by 30 votes to 9, with 5 abstentions, at Full Council on 14 October. The minutes of the meeting are now published.

The motion asks for the trial to start before Christmas 2026. It does not make that happen on its own. The council resolved to work with Essex Highways, the club and its supporters to introduce it.

What the council agreed

The motion was proposed by Councillor Tim Young. It describes the JobServe Community Stadium as “known as one of the worst stadiums in England to exit from its car park after matches”.

The council resolved to:

• support a six-game trial lifting the barrier to United Way on to Boxted Road for an hour after men’s home matches
• ensure safe passage away from the stadium for people leaving by car, bicycle, foot or public transport
• work with Essex Highways, the club and supporters to start the trial before Christmas
• encourage car sharing, public transport, cycling and walking
• seek to negotiate the return of the Travel Plan and shuttle buses

The last point was added during the debate by Councillor Martyn Warnes, and Councillor Young accepted it.

The case for and against

Sir Bob Russell, the former Colchester MP, spoke in favour. He told councillors that cars could wait an hour after full time to leave the car park. He said Essex County Council could amend the traffic order for special occasions, as it does to close Dutch Quarter roads for Castle Park events.

A second public speaker opposed the motion. He said Boxted Road is the main route fans use on foot and by bike to the railway station, the city centre and the park and ride, and that opening the barrier would increase the risk to them. He also said the club had been required to provide shuttle buses under its Travel Plan when the stadium opened in 2008, and that they were withdrawn because of the cost.

The vote was recorded by name. Councillors Calverley, Goss, Jay, Luxford Vaughan, Pearson, Rowe, Scott-Boutell, Sommers and Willetts voted against. Councillors Çufoglu, Ettritch, Lissimore, Swain and the Mayor, Councillor Ellis, abstained.

What it means for you

• If you drive to the U’s: nothing changes yet. The minutes give no start date beyond “before Christmas”, and they do not say which six games.
• If you walk or cycle along Boxted Road: this is the stretch the trial would open to traffic for an hour after games.
• Who has to act: Sir Bob told councillors the power to change the traffic order sits with Essex County Council. We found no notice for the road in Essex’s recent traffic orders on the Public Notice Portal when we checked on 5 November.

We will update this story when a start date or traffic order appears.

What else the council decided that night

The motion on Local Government Reorganisation was never debated. Time for motions ran out, so the leader’s demand for merger costs to be repaid was not considered. A motion on replacing the 1952 West Mersea food byelaws, aimed at delivery riders on pavements, fell away for the same reason.

Councillors also decided these:

• Operation Vanguard: a motion on the county’s city centre patrols passed in a rewritten form. It no longer asks for a suspension. It asks Essex County Council to engage with the city council before any extension, and to consider funding two more neighbourhood wardens instead.
• Violence against women and girls: a motion endorsing a joint statement by women’s groups was lost, with 12 for, 13 against and 18 abstaining.
• Taxi number plates: councillors unanimously banned 3D, 4D, “ghost” and sticker plates on licensed taxis and private hire vehicles.
• Economic Plan 2026-28: adopted, but with references to the Norwich to Tilbury National Grid upgrade removed.

All of this is in the minutes of 14 October.