diff --git a/changelog b/changelog
index 07b96d3354..5b7d2ff965 100644
--- a/changelog
+++ b/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+   49) Move 'colored' utility from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node to
+   psyclone.utils.
+
    48) PR #34584 for #3583. Fixes PSyclone losing the tag from a symbol when
    using SymbolTable.swap.
 
diff --git a/src/psyclone/psyir/nodes/__init__.py b/src/psyclone/psyir/nodes/__init__.py
index ce7cadf47e..ea06c9cbdb 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/psyir/nodes/__init__.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/psyir/nodes/__init__.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes.codeblock import (
     CodeBlock, Fparser2CodeBlock, TreeSitterCodeBlock)
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes.container import Container
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored, Node
+from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import Node
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes.scoping_node import ScopingNode
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes.schedule import Schedule
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes.return_stmt import Return
@@ -82,7 +82,6 @@
 # The entities in the __all__ list are made available to import directly from
 # this package e.g. 'from psyclone.psyir.nodes import Literal'
 __all__ = [
-        'colored',
         'ArrayConstructor',
         'ArrayMember',
         'ArrayReference',
diff --git a/src/psyclone/psyir/nodes/node.py b/src/psyclone/psyir/nodes/node.py
index a279282780..366a58e636 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/psyir/nodes/node.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/psyir/nodes/node.py
@@ -17,33 +17,11 @@
 
 from psyclone.core import VariablesAccessMap
 from psyclone.errors import GenerationError, InternalError
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from psyclone.psyir.symbols import Symbol
 
-# We use the termcolor module (if available) to enable us to produce
-# coloured, textual representations of Invoke schedules. If it's not
-# available then we don't use colour.
-try:
-    # pylint disable=import-outside-toplevel
-    from termcolor import colored
-except ImportError:
-    # We don't have the termcolor package available (e.g. installing from)
-    # Spack) so provide alternative routine
-    def colored(text, _):
-        '''
-        Returns the supplied text argument unchanged. This is a swap-in
-        replacement for when termcolor.colored is not available.
-
-        :param str text: text to return.
-        :param _: fake argument, only required to match interface
-                  provided by termcolor.colored.
-
-        :returns: the supplied text, unchanged.
-        :rtype: str
-        '''
-        return text
-
 
 class ChildrenList(list):
     '''
@@ -1866,7 +1844,5 @@ def get_last_descendant_node(self) -> "Node":
 
 
 # For automatic documentation generation
-# TODO #913 the 'colored' routine shouldn't be in this module.
-__all__ = ["colored",
-           "ChildrenList",
+__all__ = ["ChildrenList",
            "Node"]
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/domain/common/algorithm/alg_psyir_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/domain/common/algorithm/alg_psyir_test.py
index 0ac1a3e1ca..eea01b6399 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/domain/common/algorithm/alg_psyir_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/domain/common/algorithm/alg_psyir_test.py
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
 from psyclone.errors import InternalError, GenerationError
 from psyclone.psyir.frontend.fortran import FortranReader
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes import Reference, Node, Container
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import RoutineSymbol, DataTypeSymbol, \
     StructureType, Symbol, ScalarType
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 def create_alg_psyir(code):
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/domain/common/psylayer/global_reduction_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/domain/common/psylayer/global_reduction_test.py
index 8a85e669eb..b7412f52c4 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/domain/common/psylayer/global_reduction_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/domain/common/psylayer/global_reduction_test.py
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@
 from psyclone.errors import GenerationError, InternalError
 from psyclone.domain.common.psylayer import GlobalReduction
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes import Literal
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import ScalarType
 from psyclone.tests.utilities import get_invoke
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 def test_globalreduction_node_str_and_dag_name():
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/domain/lfric/lfric_invoke_schedule_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/domain/lfric/lfric_invoke_schedule_test.py
index f475a24482..c12c3d3ced 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/domain/lfric/lfric_invoke_schedule_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/domain/lfric/lfric_invoke_schedule_test.py
@@ -10,9 +10,10 @@
 import os
 from psyclone.domain.lfric import LFRicInvokeSchedule
 from psyclone.parse.algorithm import parse
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes import Container, colored
+from psyclone.psyir.nodes import Container
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import RoutineSymbol
 from psyclone.psyGen import PSyFactory
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 BASE_PATH = os.path.join(
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/domain/lfric/transformations/lfric_extract_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/domain/lfric/transformations/lfric_extract_test.py
index df4fbcc53f..71d24fe291 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/domain/lfric/transformations/lfric_extract_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/domain/lfric/transformations/lfric_extract_test.py
@@ -14,12 +14,13 @@
 
 from psyclone.domain.lfric.transformations import LFRicExtractTrans
 from psyclone.domain.lfric import LFRicConstants
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes import colored, ExtractNode, Loop
+from psyclone.psyir.nodes import ExtractNode, Loop
 from psyclone.psyir.transformations import PSyDataTrans, TransformationError
 from psyclone.tests.lfric_build import LFRicBuild
 from psyclone.tests.utilities import get_invoke
 from psyclone.transformations import (LFRicColourTrans,
                                       LFRicOMPParallelLoopTrans)
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 # API names
 LFRIC_API = "lfric"
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/domain/lfric/transformations/lfric_transformations_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/domain/lfric/transformations/lfric_transformations_test.py
index f18b88fef6..180260bdae 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/domain/lfric/transformations/lfric_transformations_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/domain/lfric/transformations/lfric_transformations_test.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from psyclone.psyGen import InvokeSchedule, BuiltIn
 from psyclone.psyir.backend.visitor import VisitorError
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes import (
-    colored, Loop, Schedule, Literal, Directive, OMPDoDirective,
+    Loop, Schedule, Literal, Directive, OMPDoDirective,
     ACCEnterDataDirective, Assignment, Reference)
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import AutomaticInterface, ScalarType, ArrayType
 from psyclone.psyir.transformations import (
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
     LFRicColourTrans, LFRicOMPLoopTrans, LFRicOMPParallelLoopTrans,
     LFRicAsyncHaloExchangeTrans, LFRicKernelConstTrans,
     ACCParallelTrans, ACCEnterDataTrans)
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 # The version of the API that the tests in this file
 # exercise.
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/lfric_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/lfric_test.py
index 23b52b3440..eb4fb7b94a 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/lfric_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/lfric_test.py
@@ -30,13 +30,14 @@
 from psyclone.parse.algorithm import Arg, parse
 from psyclone.parse.utils import ParseError
 from psyclone.psyGen import PSyFactory, InvokeSchedule, HaloExchange, BuiltIn
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes import (colored, BinaryOperation, UnaryOperation,
+from psyclone.psyir.nodes import (BinaryOperation, UnaryOperation,
                                   Reference, Routine, Container, Schedule)
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import (ArrayType, ScalarType, DataTypeSymbol,
                                     UnsupportedFortranType)
 from psyclone.psyir.backend.visitor import VisitorError
 from psyclone.tests.lfric_build import LFRicBuild
 from psyclone.tests.utilities import get_invoke
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 # constants
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyGen_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyGen_test.py
index 6ef2a76426..678b8bbe0b 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyGen_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyGen_test.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
                              InvokeSchedule)
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes import (Assignment, BinaryOperation, Container,
                                   Literal, Loop, Node, KernelSchedule, Call,
-                                  colored, Reference, Schedule)
+                                  Reference, Schedule)
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import (DataSymbol, RoutineSymbol, ScalarType,
                                     ImportInterface, ContainerSymbol,
                                     UnresolvedType, SymbolTable)
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 from psyclone.tests.utilities import get_invoke
 from psyclone.transformations import (LFRicColourTrans,
                                       Transformation)
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 BASE_PATH = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)),
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/array_constructor_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/array_constructor_test.py
index 9965c866c0..49efca7bff 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/array_constructor_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/array_constructor_test.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     Reference, IfBlock)
 from psyclone.core import AccessType, Signature
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import ScalarType, DataSymbol
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 def test_array_construction_valid():
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/array_reference_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/array_reference_test.py
index b092db46da..d5d8c5fcd0 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/array_reference_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/array_reference_test.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 import pytest
 from psyclone.errors import GenerationError, InternalError
 from psyclone.psyir.backend.fortran import FortranWriter
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes import (
     Reference, ArrayReference, Assignment,
     Literal, BinaryOperation, Range, KernelSchedule, IntrinsicCall)
@@ -18,6 +17,7 @@
     ArrayType, DataSymbol, DataTypeSymbol, ScalarType, Symbol,
     UnsupportedFortranType, StructureType, UnresolvedType)
 from psyclone.tests.utilities import check_links
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 def test_array_node_str():
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/assignment_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/assignment_test.py
index 39686f22e7..29b202d317 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/assignment_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/assignment_test.py
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes import (
     Assignment, Reference, Literal, ArrayReference, Range, StructureReference,
     ArrayOfStructuresReference, IntrinsicCall)
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import (
     DataSymbol, ScalarType, Symbol, ArrayType, StructureType, DataTypeSymbol)
 from psyclone.tests.utilities import check_links
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 def test_assignment_node_str():
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/call_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/call_test.py
index ed3db3fec9..7915680e59 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/call_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/call_test.py
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes import (
     ArrayReference, BinaryOperation, Call, Literal,
     Node, Reference, Routine, Schedule, CallMatchingArgumentsNotFound)
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import (
     ArrayType, ScalarType, ContainerSymbol, DataSymbol, DataTypeSymbol,
     NoType, RoutineSymbol, SymbolError, UnresolvedInterface, UnresolvedType)
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 class SpecialCall(Call):
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/codeblock_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/codeblock_test.py
index 689d373070..47b0d80f6a 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/codeblock_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/codeblock_test.py
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes.codeblock import (
     CodeBlock, Fparser2CodeBlock, TreeSitterCodeBlock
 )
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
 from psyclone.errors import GenerationError, InternalError
 from psyclone.tests.utilities import min_version_3_10
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 # TODO #3416: Skip treesitter tests below 3.10 as they're unsupported by
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/complex_literal_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/complex_literal_test.py
index d2230b9e6e..c53a62302c 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/complex_literal_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/complex_literal_test.py
@@ -10,11 +10,11 @@
 
 import pytest
 from psyclone.errors import GenerationError
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes import (
     Literal, ComplexLiteral, Assignment, BinaryOperation, Reference)
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import ScalarType, DataSymbol, SymbolTable
 from psyclone.core import Signature, AccessType
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 def test_complex_literal_create():
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/container_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/container_test.py
index f2f902e849..cffe8aa09b 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/container_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/container_test.py
@@ -10,10 +10,11 @@
 import pytest
 from psyclone.errors import GenerationError
 from psyclone.psyir.backend.fortran import FortranWriter
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes import (Call, colored, Container, FileContainer,
+from psyclone.psyir.nodes import (Call, Container, FileContainer,
                                   KernelSchedule, Return, Routine)
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import DataSymbol, ScalarType, SymbolTable
 from psyclone.tests.utilities import check_links
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 def test_container_init():
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/file_container_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/file_container_test.py
index 727d6cd4fa..1a26686099 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/file_container_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/file_container_test.py
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes import Routine, FileContainer, Container
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import SymbolTable, DataSymbol, ScalarType
 from psyclone.psyir.backend.fortran import FortranWriter
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
 from psyclone.tests.utilities import get_invoke
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 def test_file_container_init():
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/if_block_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/if_block_test.py
index d4affa9135..54c50cb8c6 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/if_block_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/if_block_test.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 from psyclone.errors import InternalError, GenerationError
 from psyclone.psyir.backend.fortran import FortranWriter
 from psyclone.tests.utilities import check_links
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 def test_ifblock_invalid_annotation():
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/literal_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/literal_test.py
index e73b82a2ff..ff3ae52f38 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/literal_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/literal_test.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import (
     ArrayType, DataSymbol, ScalarType, SymbolTable)
 from psyclone.errors import GenerationError
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 def test_literal_init():
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/node_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/node_test.py
index 1020069afa..2369c485a6 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/node_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/node_test.py
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@
 
 ''' Performs py.test tests on the Node PSyIR node. '''
 
-import builtins
-import runpy
 import sys
 import os
 import re
@@ -27,7 +25,7 @@
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import DataSymbol, SymbolError, \
     ScalarType, SymbolTable, ArrayType, RoutineSymbol, NoType
 from psyclone.tests.utilities import get_invoke
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 BASE_PATH = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(
     os.path.abspath(__file__)))), "test_files", "lfric")
@@ -97,24 +95,6 @@ def dummy(_1, _2):
             "package." in str(err.value))
 
 
-def test_node_colored_fallback_without_termcolor(monkeypatch):
-    '''Exercise the fallback implementation of ``colored`` when termcolor
-    cannot be imported.
-
-    '''
-    original_import = builtins.__import__
-
-    def fake_import(name, *args, **kwargs):
-        '''Raise ImportError only for termcolor.'''
-        if name == "termcolor":
-            raise ImportError("termcolor unavailable")
-        return original_import(name, *args, **kwargs)
-
-    monkeypatch.setattr(builtins, "__import__", fake_import)
-    module_globals = runpy.run_path(node.__file__)
-    assert module_globals["colored"]("text", "green") == "text"
-
-
 def test_node_str(monkeypatch):
     ''' Tests for the Node.node_str method. '''
     tnode = Node()
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/omp_clause_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/omp_clause_test.py
index 9389b46f8c..2e82b204d9 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/omp_clause_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/omp_clause_test.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 ''' Performs py.test tests on the OpenMP PSyIR Clause nodes. '''
 
 import pytest
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes.omp_clauses import (
     OMPGrainsizeClause, OMPNowaitClause, OMPNogroupClause, OMPNumTasksClause,
     OMPSharedClause, OMPDependClause, OMPPrivateClause, OMPFirstprivateClause,
@@ -16,6 +15,7 @@
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes.literal import Literal
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes.reference import Reference
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import DataSymbol, ScalarType
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 def test_nowait_clause():
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/operation_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/operation_test.py
index 11de2b7fba..abc0a17801 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/operation_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/operation_test.py
@@ -15,12 +15,13 @@
 from psyclone.errors import GenerationError, InternalError
 from psyclone.psyir.backend.fortran import FortranWriter
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes import (
-    ArrayReference, BinaryOperation, colored, IntrinsicCall,
+    ArrayReference, BinaryOperation, IntrinsicCall,
     Literal, Range, Reference, Return, StructureReference, UnaryOperation)
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import (
     ArrayType, DataSymbol, UnresolvedType, ScalarType, Symbol, StructureType,
     UnsupportedFortranType)
 from psyclone.tests.utilities import check_links
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 # Test BinaryOperation class
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/reference_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/reference_test.py
index 66686466d1..a9cd3221b9 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/reference_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/reference_test.py
@@ -12,13 +12,14 @@
 
 from psyclone.psyGen import GenerationError
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes import (
-    ArrayReference, Assignment, CodeBlock, colored,
+    ArrayReference, Assignment, CodeBlock,
     KernelSchedule, Literal, Reference, Loop)
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes.array_mixin import ArrayMixin
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import (ArrayType, ContainerSymbol, DataSymbol,
                                     UnresolvedType, ImportInterface,
                                     ScalarType, Symbol, SymbolTable)
 from psyclone.psyir.transformations import ProfileTrans
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 def test_reference_bad_init():
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/return_stmt_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/return_stmt_test.py
index ec72176c9c..00ae976f74 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/return_stmt_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/return_stmt_test.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 import pytest
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes import Return
 from psyclone.errors import GenerationError
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 def test_return_node_str():
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/schedule_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/schedule_test.py
index 74fbef07e0..95c56084c5 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/schedule_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/schedule_test.py
@@ -10,11 +10,11 @@
 import os
 import pytest
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes import Schedule, Assignment, Range, Statement
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import SymbolTable
 from psyclone.psyGen import PSyFactory
 from psyclone.parse.algorithm import parse
 from psyclone.errors import GenerationError
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 BASE_PATH = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/structure_member_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/structure_member_test.py
index cfc8f80673..d78e30b06e 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/structure_member_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/structure_member_test.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 from psyclone.psyir import nodes
 from psyclone.psyir import symbols
 from psyclone.errors import GenerationError, InternalError
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 def create_structure_symbol(table):
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/while_loop_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/while_loop_test.py
index 61d85c4151..20b661bb06 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/while_loop_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/nodes/while_loop_test.py
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@
 from psyclone.psyir.backend.fortran import FortranWriter
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes import Assignment, BinaryOperation, Literal, \
                                  Reference, Return, Schedule, WhileLoop
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes.node import colored
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import DataSymbol, ScalarType
 from psyclone.tests.utilities import check_links
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 def test_whileloop_invalid_annotation():
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/transformations/profile_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/transformations/profile_test.py
index 17ab00e96f..6d27480e97 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/transformations/profile_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/transformations/profile_test.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 from psyclone.gocean1p0 import GOInvokeSchedule
 from psyclone.profiler import Profiler
 from psyclone.psyir.nodes import (
-    colored, ProfileNode, Loop, Literal, Assignment, Return, Reference,
+    ProfileNode, Loop, Literal, Assignment, Return, Reference,
     OMPDoDirective, KernelSchedule, Routine, Schedule)
 from psyclone.psyir.symbols import (
     SymbolTable, DataSymbol, ScalarType)
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 from psyclone.tests.utilities import get_invoke
 from psyclone.transformations import (
     GOceanOMPLoopTrans, LFRicOMPLoopTrans)
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/transformations/read_only_verify_trans_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/transformations/read_only_verify_trans_test.py
index 53ce5a2e02..22145d91e7 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/transformations/read_only_verify_trans_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/transformations/read_only_verify_trans_test.py
@@ -11,11 +11,12 @@
 import pytest
 
 from psyclone.errors import InternalError
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes import colored, Node, ReadOnlyVerifyNode, Schedule
+from psyclone.psyir.nodes import Node, ReadOnlyVerifyNode, Schedule
 from psyclone.psyir.transformations import (ReadOnlyVerifyTrans,
                                             TransformationError)
 from psyclone.tests.utilities import get_invoke
 from psyclone.transformations import OMPParallelLoopTrans
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
 # ================== ReadOnly Transformation tests ========================== #
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/transformations/value_range_check_trans_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/transformations/value_range_check_trans_test.py
index 3b0b0853c3..14a6d8c6ed 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/transformations/value_range_check_trans_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/psyir/transformations/value_range_check_trans_test.py
@@ -12,11 +12,12 @@
 
 
 from psyclone.errors import InternalError
-from psyclone.psyir.nodes import colored, Node, ValueRangeCheckNode, Schedule
+from psyclone.psyir.nodes import Node, ValueRangeCheckNode, Schedule
 from psyclone.psyir.transformations import (ValueRangeCheckTrans,
                                             TransformationError)
 from psyclone.tests.utilities import get_invoke
 from psyclone.transformations import OMPParallelLoopTrans
+from psyclone.utils import colored
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/psyclone/tests/utils_test.py b/src/psyclone/tests/utils_test.py
index 0e81572233..51788abfaf 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/tests/utils_test.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/tests/utils_test.py
@@ -7,11 +7,14 @@
 
 '''This module implements tests for the generic utility functions.'''
 
+import builtins
 import pytest
+import runpy
 import sys
 from typing import Union
 
 
+from psyclone import utils
 from psyclone.errors import InternalError
 from psyclone.transformations import Transformation
 from psyclone.utils import (
@@ -499,3 +502,21 @@ def test_parse_kwargs_errors_wrong_type(kwargs):
 
     assert (f"Invalid syntax for keyword arguments '{kwargs}'. It was parsed "
             f"as 'set', not as a dictionary." == str(err.value))
+
+
+def test_colored_fallback_without_termcolor(monkeypatch):
+    '''Exercise the fallback implementation of ``colored`` when termcolor
+    cannot be imported.
+
+    '''
+    original_import = builtins.__import__
+
+    def fake_import(name, *args, **kwargs):
+        '''Raise ImportError only for termcolor.'''
+        if name == "termcolor":
+            raise ImportError("termcolor unavailable")
+        return original_import(name, *args, **kwargs)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(builtins, "__import__", fake_import)
+    module_globals = runpy.run_path(utils.__file__)
+    assert module_globals["colored"]("text", "green") == "text"
diff --git a/src/psyclone/utils.py b/src/psyclone/utils.py
index 5441c9cfa6..90aea5264d 100644
--- a/src/psyclone/utils.py
+++ b/src/psyclone/utils.py
@@ -19,6 +19,28 @@
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from psyclone.psyGen import Transformation
 
+# We use the termcolor module (if available) to enable us to produce
+# coloured, textual representations of PSyIR schedules. If it's not
+# available then we don't use colour.
+try:
+    # pylint disable=import-outside-toplevel
+    from termcolor import colored
+except ImportError:
+    # We don't have the termcolor package available (e.g. installing from
+    # Spack) so provide alternative routine
+    def colored(text: str, _: str) -> str:
+        '''
+        Returns the supplied text argument unchanged. This is a swap-in
+        replacement for when termcolor.colored is not available.
+
+        :param text: text to return.
+        :param _: fake argument, only required to match interface
+                  provided by termcolor.colored.
+
+        :returns: the supplied text, unchanged.
+        '''
+        return text
+
 
 def within_virtual_env():
     '''