The Labour Party in Colchester has outlined a range of measures it thinks would help ease the town's traffic misery. 

A survey by Virgin Money Car Insurance this week rated Colchester one of the worst towns in the country for road users (52nd out of 64 towns). 

Labour's parliamentary spokesman in Colchester, Michael Powell, has called for: 

- the borough and county councils to commit to making full use of measures outlined in the Government's new Draft Local Transport Bill, to force bus operators to provide a better service 

- action from Network Rail and train operator One to make Hythe station a proper rail/bus/car interchange serving east Colchester and Essex University 

- plans to be brought forward for a park and ride facility serving drivers approaching the town from the north and east, in addition to the one proposed at Stanway. 

Mr Powell said: "It won't come as any surprise to those struggling in to work in Colchester that it's been judged one of the worst towns for drivers in the country.  

"It's all very well to finger-wag at motorists and tell them to use public transport instead. "But try catching a bus home to many surrounding towns and villages after 6pm, or indeed just getting from Greenstead to the General Hospital by public transport - the buses simply aren't there. 

"Penalising motorists is not the answer. Ipswich (fourth best town in the survey) shows that a car-friendly town centre can co-exist with, indeed can be complemented by, a decent public transport infrastructure with a proper park and ride option. 

"The only part of the UK where bus use has been increasing in recent years - London - is also the only part of the country where bus transport is still regulated, and where operators have to undertake to operate a certain level of service in order to win the franchise to operate the route. That must be part of the solution." 

Mr Powell added: "I have been in contact with the county council, Network Rail and One to try and spur into action the vague notion of turning Hythe station into a proper public transport hub serving east Colchester and Essex University."  

"It seems crazy that we have a perfectly functional railway station in place to serve that part of town, but that it still has no ticket office or machine, no car park, and no regular direct trains to London."