Walkers, cyclists and horse riders in Thurrock, Brentwood and Havering

The southern footway on the south of the A127 would be widened and improved. To help enhance an existing connection, these improvements will start from the BR186 crossing of the A127 in the east to the point at which the southern footway merges with bridleway BR189 in the west.

The BR189 bridleway will still cross the A127 at the existing bridge and it will still pass beneath the M25 adjacent the train line where it connects to FP176. In addition, a new bridge to the east, for walkers, cyclists and horseriders, will provide a safer crossing of the A127.

Where the BR189 runs parallel to the M25 there will be surface improvements and localised diversions but the broader connectivity of BR189 will not be significantly impacted.

The FP79 footpath will be resurfaced to create a bridleway connecting Rectory Road to footpath FP95. It will also be diverted via a new footbridge where it crosses the project alignment.

To the south of the project alignment a new connection would be made to the FP95 footpath. From this point to Brentwood Road, the FP95 footpath would also be designated as bridleway and have its surface improved.

These changes would create an off-road equestrian connection and improve the pedestrian connectivity between Orsett and Chadwell St Mary.

To the east of Brentwood Road, the Project crosses the existing alignment of High House Lane. Rather than provide a bridge, High House Lane will be diverted south of the project alignment where it will connect to Brentwood Road.

The FP78 footpath will be diverted along the new alignment of High House Lane and will be given bridleway status.

We will be replacing the Rectory Road bridge over the A13 with a wider bridge that includes a segregated horse track. The existing shared pedestrian-cycle track would also be replaced with a wider track that sits parallel to the new horse track.

The existing BR206 bridleway would be diverted further north but remain parallel to the new slip road and A13. It will continue further east to meet Rectory Road where horse riders will be supplemented with a dedicated horse-riding track over the new bridge. The track will continue further south as far as a new crossing of Stanford Road A1013.

This allows horse riders to connect to the FP79 footpath, which will be resurfaced to create a bridleway that extends further south of Rectory Road. The FP79 footpath will then be diverted via a new footbridge that crosses the project alignment.

A 2.4km length of Stanford Road will be realigned because of the space required to form slip roads. Where Stanford Road is realigned, the existing shared pedestrian-cycle track that sits alongside Stanford Road will be replaced with one meeting current standards. This will terminate in the west adjacent Thurrock Rugby Football club where it will merge with the existing provision.

Between the junction with Stanford Road and the existing A13 bridge, Baker Street will be realigned. The existing footway to the east of this section of Baker Street will also be replaced with a wider shared ped-cycle route. This will maintain access to Stanford Road for those on Baker Street and create a new traffic free route alongside the part of Baker Street where vehicles travel fastest.

The distance between East Tilbury and the centre of Chadwell St Mary is 3km – a small enough distance to either walk or cycle. By introducing an off-road pedestrian-cycle track, communities from East Tilbury and Linford will be able to walk or cycle to the jobs and services available to them in Chadwell St Mary.

From the edge of East Tilbury, this new 2.1km length of off-road pedestrian cycle pathway would be alongside the south of Muckingford Road and Linford Road ending in Atherton Gardens in Chadwell St Mary. Between the junctions with Turnpike Lane and Blue Anchor Lane equestrian use will also be permitted, to allow connection between existing equestrian facilities, High House Lane, Hoford Road and bridleway BR63.

As well as opening up access to jobs and services for those in East Tilbury and Linford this new route would provide an important link between existing routes used by NMUs. The new off-road route will link the ends of FP66, BR63, FP60, FP74, FP75, Hoford Road and High House Lane.

Muckingford Road to Coalhouse Fort

South of Muckingford Road the project alignment crosses the Tilbury Loop line, where it would be elevated on a viaduct to go over the Tilbury Loop Line and Station Road. To achieve the required clearance, the project rises onto an embankment south of Muckingford Road and returns to ground level south of Station Road.

The existing alignment of the BR58 bridleway would be severed by the embankment, north of the new viaduct. The western end of BR58 would therefore be diverted south to pass beneath the project’s new viaduct and connect to Low Street Lane in the west.

Connectivity between Muckingford Road and Coalhouse Fort would be maintained for cyclists and PRoW users through Low Street Lane - which is closed to motor traffic. Low Street Lane would allow users to connect with the BR63 bridleway or continue south to Station Road, maintaining the existing connectivity between Muckingford Road and Coalhouse Fort.

Station Road to Coalhouse Fort
The western end of the FP61 footpath would also be severed by the embankment north of the viaduct. Where this clash occurs, the FP61 pathway will be diverted south to meet the BR58 bridleway. Users of the FP61 pathway could either use BR58 to cross the rail line or come beneath the viaduct and use the Low Street Lane-BR63 route to head west.

The embankment and access road to the south of the viaduct clashes with the northern section of FP200. This section of the footpath would therefore be realigned along the new field edge to avoid this clash and maintain connectivity between Coalhouse Fort and Station Road.

East Tilbury to Coalhouse Fort and Bowater Batteries
New pathways will be created to link the heritage assets of Coalhouse Fort and Bowater Batteries to East Tilbury. This will create a variety of alternative paths along the coastal route of the River Thames and a footpath loop for visitors to Coalhouse Fort.

Funding improvements to the wider public rights of way network
We’re also funding improvements to the wider public rights of way network, including:

• the restoration of a missing link along the popular Two Forts Way footpath between Tilbury Fort and Coalhouse Fort that would be delivered by Thurrock Council.
• supporting the Association of South Essex Local Authorities (ASELA) to improve the accessibility of the Coastal Path between Coalhouse Fort and Stanford-le-Hope

The Project will create a new country park directly to the south and east of the tunnel approach and portal. It will span from the River Thames in the south to footpath FP200 in the north. Called Tilbury Fields, this park will be the site of new earthworks creating viewing points over the river and towards historic assets; this is discussed below.

In order to provide public access through this area, the proposal includes two north-south routes connecting FP200 to Two Forts Way. The western of these routes will be designated as a permissive path and will follow the newly created topography to bring users to these new viewing points. The eastern route will follow an historic watercourse through the marshes and will therefore provide a relatively level connection; this will be designated as a public footpath. There will be two permissive paths linking these primary north-south routes.

Tilbury Fields will extend south to the shore of the River Thames. As a section of Two Forts Way will run through this new Country Park, it will have its surface improved, be widened and be designated as pedestrian-cycle track in readiness for similar future improvements (by others) to the west and east.

The Thames Chase Forest Centre is linked to Ockendon Road to the south by the FP230 footpath, however the formation of new slip roads would sever this footpath. In order to maintain the connection to Ockendon Road and to form an improved connection between the two halves of the Thames Chase Forest Centre, the Project will re-route FP230 over a new bridge for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, spanning the M25.

The FP230 footpath will continue to the southeast corner of the eastern half of the Forest Centre. From here it will turn south along an existing access track to meet Ockendon Road, which is close to both the junction with Church Lane and eastbound and westbound bus stops.

Through the Forest Centre, FP230 will be a footpath and permissive cycle and equestrian route. The section of FP230 to the south-east of the Forest Centre will be designated as bridleway. These proposals will provide a link between Ockendon Road and St Mary’s Lane through both halves of the Forest Centre and will provide a traffic-free route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders across the M25.

To further improve connectivity into the Thames Chase Forest Centre, a new bridleway connection will be formed from the eastern edge of the Forest Centre site to Clay Tye Road B186.

This will provide a cycle link into the Forest Centre site and re-routed FP230 from the housing on this part of Clay Tye Road but also improve access for those further afield along the B186.

For pedestrians, this will form a link between the housing on Clay Tye road but also to footpath FP232 via a length of existing footway alongside Clay Tye Road.

A new walking, cycling and horse riding route is proposed that would run alongside or parallel with Dennises Lane/Dennis Road/West Road from the Pea Lane/FP259 junction in the north to the Arisdale Avenue junction in the south. From the Pea Lane/FP259 junction to a point near where the route would meet footpath FP252, the route would be a shared pedestrian, cycle and equestrian track running alongside the road. East of this point, the route would be a bridleway running parallel with the road, and separated from the road by a hedge.

This new route would create a link for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders between South Ockendon, Little Belhus Park and the Thames Chase Forest Centre. Access to the Thames Chase Forest Centre would be via footpath FP252 (realigned and upgraded to bridleway), which provides access to North Ockendon, and via other improved routes.

The existing FP151 route would connect the new alignment of FP252 to North Road. The FP151 footpath would also be upgraded to bridleway and have its surface improved. From the point at which FP151 meets North Road there would be a shared pedestrian, cycle and equestrian track alongside the realigned North Road as far as Townfield Cottages. North Road and the shared pedestrian, cycle and equestrian track would cross the project alignment on a new green bridge.

South of Townfield Cottages, the shared pedestrian, cycle and equestrian track would change to a bridleway, running behind an existing line of trees along North Road and ending opposite Wilsman Road in South Ockendon.

These improvements would connect South Ockendon to FP135 and FP151 and help form another link from South Ockendon to the Thames Chase Forest Centre. They would also help connect Thames Chase Forest Centre to the Mardyke.

The route alongside North Road would improve access to existing footpath FP135 which runs from North Road in the west to Fen Lane in the east. From North Road to the point at which it turns north, FP135 would have its surface improved and would be redesignated as bridleway. This improvement would end at a junction with an existing farm track, which links to existing footpath FP136. The farm track would be designated as bridleway.

The part of FP136 to the east of the farm track would be upgraded to bridleway, providing a link for walkers, cyclists and horse riders to the existing bridleway BR219 running alongside the Mardyke. The part of FP136 to the south of the farm track would be realigned over the project via a new bridge. A new footpath is proposed, south of the new bridge, to link FP136 to the Mardyke. This footpath would provide a more direct link between South Ockendon and the Mardyke.

Bridleway BR161 (Green Lane) will be realigned over a new bridge that crosses the project alignment north of Stifford Clays Road. A new pedestrian-cycle track will connect bridleway BR161 and the new bridleway route between Green Lane and the Mardyke bridleway to Stifford Clays Road.

There is an existing pedestrian-cycle track alongside Stifford Clays Road from the edge of Stifford Clays in the west, extending close to Springfield farm in the east. This pedestrian-cycle track would be extended further east over the project alignment as far as the houses opposite Wayside Cottage.

This will allow pedestrians in the Baker Street area, or cyclists coming from Orsett, to access the Mardyke more easily and other Public Rights of Way. It will also allow pedestrians to reach employment and education opportunities as well as services in Stifford Clays. Equally it will improve access to the Mardyke for people in Stifford Clays.

The BR161 bridleway will be realigned over a new bridge crossing the project alignment with access to Baker Street, the stables and riding school.

The FP252 footpath would be diverted to a more southerly route to cross the rail line and the new project alignment on two new multi-user bridges. It would also be redesignated as bridleway and have its surface upgraded, making it suitable for all three user types.