BUS users have hit out at "insane" plans to build a new bus lane in Colchester.

Essex County Council plans to spend a slice of £5million grant funding on creating the lane, which will run eastbound - towards the town centre - in Lexden Road, between Glen Avenue and Maldon Road.

The development will also include a shared footpath and cyclepath on the south side of Lexden Road, which is used by pupils going to and from school at Colchester Royal Grammar School and Colchester County High School for Girls.

An information session on the project was held at the Grammar School last week, which was open to the public.

Peter Kay, secretary of Colchester Bus Users Support Group, said: "It was notable the exhibition was merely a set of plans and contained not the slightest attempt to justify the proposal in any logical or detailed fashion.

"There was also no sign that anyone at Essex County Council even understands the fundamental difference between the congestion situation for one hour a day at school peak times and the complete lack of any traffic delays the rest of the time.

"No sane highway authority would put in bus lanes to deal with one hour a day congestion."

Mr Kay also said peak time congestion is caused by buses taking extra time at stops because of the number of children getting on or off, rather than extra cars on the road.