Plans are afoot by Essex County Council to replace the bridge outside Bridge Farm on the Colchester Road on the way out of Tollesbury. At present, the road is restricted to 7.5 tonne vehicles as the bridge was built circa 1850. Most of the road is single track until it meets the junction with Guisnes Court.
ECC have submitted plans to replace the bridge with one that can take vehicles up to 40 tonnes. The new bridge will dominate the landscape. It is to be over twice the width of the current one, spanning 13.5 metres (inside bridge wall to wall). In total length it will be 17.5 metres wide. The bridge carriageway itself will be only marginally widened, much of the additional width is to allow for 3.5 metres gravel infills either side. The bridge walls in places will be 2 metres high, with the highest parts being directly opposite the front door of the farm house and footbridge. It comes complete with over 60 metres of crash barriers, reflective anti ram bollards and a chevron sign which will be at first floor level of the house.
There can be no other reason for this to happen than to allow large trucks and lorries into Tollesbury through the ‘back roads’ before squeezing down North Road and trying to turn into the High Street.
Please show your disgust by writing, as soon as possible, to your ECC Councillor, Mark Durham