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‘Pesky Bridge’ the full story, or how our team moved Heaven and Earth… By Mary Pengelly, Projects & Funding Officer
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tow Maries Bridleway number 24 near South Woodham Ferrers runs for 1.5 miles from Cold Norton. You then cross a road and continue riding on two other bridleways for another 1.5 miles of traffic-free riding. It's a lovely route, with a good surface and one that is vital to local riders. About a mile from
Cold Norton the bridleway (formally a railway line) passes over a Victorian brick built bridge.
Closure On 17th February 2017 under Section 14 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, Essex County Council closed the bridge, and therefore the
bridleway, stating "the bridge is in very poor condition" and deemed it unsafe. This Temporary Prohibition of Use Order was then periodically extended which effectively meant that you could ride to the bridge from either end of the bridleway but would then have to turn back as there was no safe way to get round the bridge, which was securely fenced off. During this time, walkers and some brave riders negotiated down the steep embankment, past the bridge and then climbed back up the embankment on the other side in order to continue their walk/ride. A tricky manoeuvre and not sustainable long-term.
Ownership and the cost of repair Based on user evidence the bridleway had been claimed as a route around 20 years ago and as such Essex County Council is not required to maintain it, neither are they obligated to provide a diversion if it is closed. The Landowner owns the bridge itself. By the time EBA got involved in 2018 an impasse had been reached between ECC, the landowner and user groups as no-one was willing or able to spend money to find a way forward. EBA began by talking to the landowner, who didn't want to spend what could be potentially a lot of money on repairing a bridge which brought no benefit to him. We also started discussions with the Public Rights of Way team at Essex Highways. We took advice from the BHS and then submitted a Freedom of Information request to ECC in
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Sept 2018 to find out what was on record about the structural condition of the bridge and how and when it had been monitored. We then commissioned and paid for a full survey to be carried out by a structural engineer. This concluded that the bridge could be strengthened at a cost of around £25,000 which would make it safe. Regrettably ECC did not accept this solution. We linked up with the local Ramblers group while continuing our dialogue with the landowner to find a resolution acceptable to all. I attended the Parish Council
How was it done? Quite simply, in the autumn last year, the landowner decided to fill in the archway of the bridge with vast quantities of earth! (See photo above). Our thanks go to Mr Hollington, the landowner, whose action has made the bridge safe again. Persistence pays off! We are delighted that riders and walkers are once again able to enjoy this lovely route.
meeting to raise awareness locally and EBA put forward two further solutions to the landowner and started looking at how we could obtain funding for these.
This is my last piece of work for EBA I recently relocated to Cornwall, and have now resigned my post as Projects Officer. Speaking personally, it is very satisfying to have reached a positive outcome and say goodbye to the Pesky Bridge at last.