Highways have consistently claimed that "Surveys have also shown there is a clear risk of vehicles, including fire engine vehicles, failing to negotiate the current junction and highlight even further the need for improvements required at the junction."

A local retired fireman of 33 years experience disagrees with this in a recent comment on the planning application submitted to Babergh DC;

"I strongly disagree with the above as I served as a firefighter /driver and an officer in charge for 33 years at Colchester fire station ,whose station ground covered Boxted. When having to cross the bridge from either approach there was never a problem negotiating this whether coming from the top end of Boxted or from past the water works where a bend has to be taken turning right over the bridge without even having to shunt! Years ago the appliances were smaller but having talked to my old colleagues recently even the larger fire engines can still cross with ease from whatever direction. Surely to come up with the above statement you need to ask Essex and Suffolk fire services if the bridge presents a problem?"