Essex County Council is set to apply for more than £16 million in levelling up funds from the Government which will be matched by £2 million from its own coffers to improve the economy in Tendring.

The area has been rated as the second most in need for levelling up funds in the country. The 2011 census demonstrates areas of Tendring have a higher percentage of households with no access to a car or van than the national average of 26 per cent.

It also has high levels of unemployment and a lack of a sound skill base.

The bid – for £16.3 million of funding and £1.9 m of match funding - would provide a package of transport measures to improve road safety and improved journeys, public transport and infrastructure improvements and cycling.

Echo:

The council says the bid ties into the future opportunities offered by the development of Bathside Bay as part of the Freeport East programme.

A large slice of the cash wold go to safety improvements on the A133 north of Clacton mainly between Weeley and Frating.

This would involve improving the junctions of the A133 with Heckford’s Road, Church Road and Shair Lane as well as the St John’s roundabout in Clacton.

Money is also proposed to go to introducing a DigiGo (Digital Demand Responsive Transport) service to Tendring. The service responds to demand rather than having set routes.

Minibuses can collect and drop off passengers anywhere with a particular area.

The buses can be booked with an app and is aimed at providing a flexible and environmentally-friendly transport service for people who do not live close to main public transport routes.

The scheme would be likely to involve the council purchasing land and building depot infrastructure that would include installing rapid electric vehicle chargers and ten new electric minibuses.

Once operational, DigiGo is expected to cost £1.2 million in 2024/25, £850,000 in 2025/26 and £524,000 in 2026/27.

The bid also envisages plans for around four kilometres of new and upgraded cycleway between Dovercourt to the proposed Freeport East site.

A statement as part of a cabinet decision to be signed off by Lesley Wagland, cabinet member for economic renewal, infrastructure and planning next week, said: “The Government, in support of its Levelling Up White Paper has introduced a £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund which is capital funding targeted at infrastructure available to be bid for by local authorities.

“Essex County Council as a local highway authority can submit a bid to this fund."