Boxted Bridge closed after safety concerns are raised

Boxted Bridge, built in 1897, carries Wick Road and Lower Farm Road over the River Stour, in the Dedham Vale area of outstanding natural beauty.

It was visited earlier this week by Essex Highways workers who conducted an investigation assessing the condition of the structure.

The decision has now been made to shut off the bridge entirely with immediate effect after serious fears were raised over its deteriorating condition and loading capacity.

The closure, situated in Wick Road at the junction with Lower Farm Road and Sky Hall Hill, will remain in place while engineers conduct further investigations.

Unsafe - Boxted Bridge, which has stood for 126 years (Image: Newsquest)

As a result, no vehicles or pedestrians will be permitted to access or pass through the closed section of the road while further until further notice.

Motorists have, therefore, been urged to instead explore alternative routes through the likes of Thorington Street, Lower Street, Higham Road and Ipswich Road.

Low Lift Cottage Road, Docuras Farm Road and Water Lane have also been cited as alternatives to Boxted Bridge route, in addition to many others.

The condition of Boxted Bridge has long been a somewhat sore subject among council bosses who wish to replace it and campaigners who want to save it.

Defiant landmark activist Lucinda de Jasay leads the campaign group Save Our Bridge which has gained more than 6,000 supporters.

Lucinda, whose family has lived at Boxted Mill since 1956, believes the bridge could have been simply repaired if the council had acted sooner.

Defiant - Landmark activist Lucinda de Jasay leads the campaign group Save Our Bridge which has gained more than 6,000 supporters (Image: Public)

Speaking previously she said: "For the last 29 years the council have ignored it, allowing it to be used by heavy goods vehicles despite their own inspectors’ three-tonne recommended weight limit.

“They now argue their ‘nuclear option’ is best because it is the safest, but they are refusing to recognise the heritage of Boxted Bridge."

Conservative councillor Lee Scott, who is in charge of highways at Essex County Council, said the decision to replace the bridge was made in the interests in public safety.

He said: “The possibility of repairing the current structure was explored through a detailed and independent option study – this study clearly recommended that replacement was the best option.

“We are making this decision on safety grounds – this is our paramount concern and we are aware that those against us will never agree with our proposals, but on matters of safety expert engineering opinion should always outweigh any other.”