Welcome to the Community Reach Web site.

The Bridge Project

There has been much discussion, over may years regarding the replacement of the historic crossing over Alresford Creek. Currently the Community Reach Partnership. along with its partners SUSTRANS (the sustainable transport charity) and Essex County Council, have been progressing a scheme to provide a crossing which would be suitable for both pedestrians and cyclists.
Recently, SUSTRANS, with their Connect2 project, were winners of the 'Peoples £50 Million Lottery Giveaway', from the Big Lottery Fund for investment in walking and cycling UK-wide.
The Connect2 project was made up of 79 different schemes, covering the whole of the UK transforming local travel, including the provision of bridges and crossings.
Although the Alresford Crossing was not one of the original schemes, it is on the reserve shortlist and we are hopeful that during the course of the 5 year project, we will get the opportunity to step in, should other schemes drop out. Due to the interest raised by the Connect2 scheme, SUSTRANS are also hoping that they may be able to expand the number of schemes that they support to around 200, again we are hopeful that if this happens, our project will be included.
Finally, we are also in discussions with Essex County Council, who have already allocated funding for an initial feasibility study of the project.

A Railway Crossing

The railway from Colchester to Wivenhoe was opened in 1863. The line was to continue on to Walton with a Branch to Brightlingsea.
As might be expected there was some controversy before it was started - a long opening swing bridge was needed over Alresford Creek for barge traffic. It was finally opened in 1866. In 1904 there was serious flooding from the river and there was threatened closure, but it was worse in the 1953 floods. Some of the rails were washed away,  It was December before the railway opened again.
In the 1930's passengers went to Brightlingsea and took the ferry to Point Clear. There were said to be 20-30 rowing boats before the war, The fare was 2d. In 1957 diesel took over from steam and the last steam train ran on the line in 1960. There was a fight to try and save the line, but it was closed in 1964.
'The Wivenhoe & Brightlingsea Railway' by Paul Brown.

From the Clacton Gazette - 40 years ago
Friday, March 29 1963: Brightlingsea Station is one of the 2,000 marked down for closure under Dr Beeching's plan to reshape British Railways, which was published on Wednesday. If the plan is approved, the line to Wivenhoe will close after the summer season.
Feeling is running so high in Brightlingsea that Councillor R. French is to seek and emergency meeting of the North-East Essex Area Transport Committee.
Mr D Fenton, traffic manager for the Eastern Region, told a reporter on Wednesday that although the station was to be closed for passenger services, it would be retained for freight traffic if the demand was great enough.
He said that only about one or two railway employees at Brightlingsea would be affected by the closure and they would not necessarily become redundant.

A Roman Crossing

Less than a hundred years ago if you were travelling east from Colchester on a direct route to Brightlingsea you would have taken the same route that travellers had taken for not hundreds of years, but thousands of years before.
Through the East Gate of Colchester heading towards Greenstead on what is no the Greenstead Road, Then up the hill through Wivenhoe Park where the University of Essex now stands, Turning right towards Wivenhoe Cross. Along what is now Rectory Road continuing straight on to Alresford Road. After what is now a Railway Bridge the traveller would not have taken the bendy road in Alresford but would go straight on, along the route which is now know as Cut Throat Lane (probably Cut Through Lane originally) A mile along, the lane comes to and end at a 'T' junction with Ford Lane. Turning right the lane then drops down towards Alresford Creek which is a tidal estuary of the River Colne. Having reached the Creek travellers then for the creek just below the area where a Roman Villa one stood, Having forded the creek the traveller would now be on the outskirts of the town of Brightlingsea.

The water at the creek has steadily got deeper over the centuries and due to the lack of dredging has become quite silted. Up until about forty years ago you were still able to ford the creek.