New wayfinding is now in place to encourage people to walk between Colchester Rail Station and Colchester General Hospital. The project, fully funded by Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Improvement Fund, promotes walking as a convenient, healthy and sustainable travel option.
The initiative, coordinated by Colchester City Council, features three-metre-tall obelisk style signs, designed to be seen from a distance, at both the station’s northside forecourt and the hospital entrance. Additional wayfinding vinyls in the station subway guide users to the correct exit for the hospital. Signage along the walking route is set to be improved to reassure pedestrians they are on the right route.
Colchester hospital has more than 660,000 patient visits a year, excluding relatives and friends who are accompanying or visiting them, and employs around 5,900 staff. The project encourages hospital visitors to take the train and walk, instead of driving, by providing walking times and directions. Walking can contribute to personal health and well-being and may help reduce environmental impact.
Scott Dolling, Greater Anglia’s Partnership Manager, said: “We are proud to support this project, which makes it easier and more appealing for people to choose sustainable travel. Clear, creative signage like this not only helps people find their way – it also encourages walking as a healthy and environmentally friendly option for those visiting the hospital from the station.”
Mark Hunter, ESNEFT Assistant Director for Estates & Facilities, said: “This is a great example of partnership working and the new wayfaring will make it much easier for anyone walking to the hospital.”
Cllr Luxford Vaughan, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Sustainable Development at Colchester City Council, said: "This wayfinding initiative is a fantastic example of how we can support active travel and make sustainable transport more accessible for everyone. Encouraging more people to walk between key locations in our city will help reduce congestion, improve air quality, and contribute to a healthier community. We are grateful to Greater Anglia and Colchester Hospital for their support in delivering this important project."
Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Improvement Fund is designed to help deliver local, community-focused rail improvements across its network.
This scheme is aimed at supporting initiatives which provide community benefits and enhance the railway’s positive role in society. Ideas proposed can be put forward by local organisations or bodies, such as community rail partnerships, station adopters, local authorities, parish councils, community groups, charities, or other stakeholders along the routes served by the train operator.
Greater Anglia recently announced its second year of the Customer and Community Improvement Fund. As part of this announcement, the train operator has pledged a total of £350,000 to fund 28 projects across the network as part of Greater Anglia’s ongoing support for communities in East Anglia.
Page last reviewed: 25 September 2025