TWO “monstrous steel barricades” have been installed on either side of Colchester’s East Bridge.

The move is in a bid to stop vehicles from mounting the kerb, which is supported by badly corroded ironwork which dates back to the early 1900s.

But worried residents and councillors say the “barricades”

are “ugly” and may end up staying there for years.

Theresa Higgins, whose Essex County Council division includes the area, said: “It is a huge problem because there are ugly and they are in a conservation area.”

She also fears East Bridge could become “the next Cowdray Avenue” which has had concrete barriers near to its junction with Ipswich Road for about 20 years.

Mrs Higgins, who is also Colchester mayor, added: “Essex Highways has become reactive rather than proactive.

“If the bridge is in trouble, why didn’t they start thinking about it before?

“If it is not safe, there should be a weight restriction.

“We are now stuck with something for 20 years.”

Bill Frame, who represents much of Colchester town centre on Colchester Council, added: “We have had absolutely no prior warning.

“It is typical of Essex County Council going ahead with things and not letting anybody know.

“What we do know is the bridge is not in any programme of work, so it is going to be there for the foreseeable future.”

Vernon Sharpe, who lives in East Street, said he returned home last week to find the “monstrous steel barricades” in place and they were making it “impossible”

for people with wheelchairs or child buggies to pass.

An Essex Highways spokesman said: “While the roadway across East Bridge, which was built in 1802, is sound, the pavements on either side are supported by ironwork which is more than 100 years old and has badly corroded.

“Barriers have therefore been erected as a safety measure to prevent vehicles from mounting the pavement and overloading it.”

He also said a minimum pavement width of 1.2metres is still passable.

He added: “The parapets are showing signs of aging and we need to prevent the risk of vehicles hitting them, too.

“Unfortunately, such precautions are seldom aesthetically pleasing but they are vital to ensuring the safety of pedestrians.

Our structural engineers are currently scheduling a future repair programme.”