IT has been revealed that Maldon has missed out on an opportunity for government cash to help reduce congestion and make the town centre greener and healthier – despite 2019 claims that Market Hill has one of the worst air pollution records in the country.

Essex County Council (ECC) has announced that earlier this month it put forward an "ambitious and transformational" bid for Department for Transport funds to create new safe walking and cycling routes in cities and towns across the county. These included Chelmsford, Colchester, Wickford, Brentwood and Braintree – but not Maldon.

The plans include a Dutch-style roundabout in Braintree, where cyclists and pedestrians will have right of way. A similar roundabout was opened in Cambridge at the beginning of August and cost £2.4million.

Friends of the Earth declared Market Hill the sixth worst street in the UK for air quality in 2019 because of high nitrogen dioxide levels. Maldon District Council did not agree with the findings at the time, but do have an action plan in place for the road as air pollution there has been recorded well above national targets.

It has emerged that Maldon District Council submitted plans it hoped would be included in the bid – but they did not make it into the "top five".

[H2]County council: "We absolutely believe the Maldon proposals are positive."

An Essex Highways spokesperson said: "ECC received a proposal from Maldon District Council as part of our development of a bid for Phase Two of the Department for Transport Emergency Active Travel Fund.

"The proposals were ambitious but they did not meet enough of the government criteria to be shortlisted when compared against other proposals reviewed and put forward.

"This is partly because Maldon High Street is constrained by limited space and it would not have been possible to have widened pavements without significant delays to buses.

"The Department for Transport criteria were very clear that government are looking for ambitious proposals which would reallocate road space and provide new cycling routes where demand could be evidenced.

"We absolutely believe the Maldon proposals are positive and our officers look forward to working together with Maldon colleagues to explore future opportunities when new government funding becomes available."

Now Maldon District Council (MDC) is asking the public to come forward with ideas.

A spokesperson for MDC added: ""As the High Street moves to the second phase of recovery, we are liaising with Essex County Council to increase pavement space in Maldon, and we want to hear your views.

You can leave your ideas on the topic at the Widen My Path webpage