Some of the halts have been ‘rebuilt’. May not be original but its a nice locational touch
The Flitch Way is a path along a former single track railway line in Essex between Braintree & Start Hill, just east of the M11. It is currently in two sections as the section of railway through Great Dunmow has been repurposed as the Great Dunmow by-pass. More importantly though, the route is cut off from Bishop’s Stortford by the M11, a golf course and sections of the railway that have been built over.
An access that doesn’t meet any current guidance and would filter out many legitimate users. And there is virtually no visibility at the road.
In autumn 2022 Transport Initiatives were commissioned to review the route and devise and assess options for links out from it. At the time it was built standards were lower and sections of path just stopped at roads with no consideration for making safe crossings.
A missing bridge at Flitch Green. Path users heading west arrive along the path in the foreground with little visibility, have no assistance crossing the road and then have to use the 1.5m wide footway in the left background.
Continuity is very important with off road paths. There is little point in having a superb route that is broken up by the need to cross busy roads without any assistance. Investment in improving the route should concentrate on filling the gaps before widenening the path or improving the surface, well maybe resurface those muddy bits. There are some missing bridges. While some original bridges crossed reletively lightly used roads, Station Road at Flitch Green is busy and has a 40mph speed limit. LTN1/20 (current guidance) suggests that this crossing should be signalled (no room) or grade separated (re-build the bridge). The B1256 needs a signalled crossing just north of the A120 in Great Dunmow.
Theoretically an A-frame barrier allows wheelchairs and cyclists through. But there is not enough surfacing to allow a disabled persons scooter through and ever tried getting a bike with a child seat through one of those? And anyway who wants to ride a horse into a housing estate? we recommended that this barrier should be removed.
There is a massive amount of new housing planned or being built between the Flitch Way and Stansted Airport. If Uttlesford Council want to grow active travel in the area it is essential that all this new development is connected to the Flitch Way by safe and accessible routes. Flitchside Drive in Takeley is connected to the Flitch Way by a nice 3.0m wide surfaced path. Unfortunately access control barriers that filter out nearly everybody other than pedestrians and horses was constructed at its end. The Flitch Way doesn’t have much of a problem with access control barriers that filter out legitimate users; most of the accessibility problems concern widths, surfaces, gradient and visibility. As an aside, Transport Initiatives has worked with City of York Council to make their barriers accessible.
The NCN16 heading west from Start Hill runs around the back of properties on the north side of Dunmow Road.
In its current form, the Flitch Way links to Braintree well but has a poor route through Great Dunmow, no sensible route to Stansted Airport and its route west to Bishop’s Stortford is broken by the M11. The National Cycle Route 16 continues towards Bishop’s Stortford but its route is narrow, winding, and lengthy. We investigated a route westwrds using an existing subway under the M11 that funnily enough had an end-on connection with a route we recommeded to Hertfordshire heading east out of Bishop’s Stortford towards the Flitch Way.
The Flitch Way – potentially an excellent strategic route but also a delightful ride on a nice day.
We produced a report showing how the Flitch Way could be a core route linking areas of existing and proposed housing to recreational opportunities, railway stations and employment sites not least being Stansted Airport.
Offa’s Dyke ended at the location of the original Severn Bridge – although there wasn’t even a ferry then.
And there’s more…
We were keen to show that the Flitch Way was more than just a recreational route as integrating recreation routes with utility routes benefits walking, wheeling and cycling. But we have produced feasibility studies for other recreational routes such as one along Offa’s Dyke and between Arnside and Grange over Sands
(Posted 7/08/2023 & amended 20/02/24))