A BRIDGE built 30 years ago across the A120 could be used to link the road to the A133.

Councillors have called on the bodies behind the 'garden community' to consider using the bridge, which is east of Elmstead and not used, instead of wasting money by creating a new one.

Shaun Boughton, Wivenhoe town councillor, said: “It’s really quite eerie because there are trees growing on it.

“But when you’re standing on it you can see the university and Wivenhoe.

“It’s not far away at all.

“So the infrastructure is already there. I don’t know what this bridge was built for but they must have been expecting future development.

“I don’t know how much a bridge costs, maybe £5million, but wouldn’t it be better to use that then build another one?”

The proposed link road between the A120 and A133 would be created after Bromley Road but before Elmstead.

The current bridge is further away.

Paul Smith (Lib Dem), leader of Colchester Council, said it was a possibility.

He said: “It wouldn’t be something which would determine the location of the road because if you’re building a new A120 junction it’s going to cost a lot of money anyway.

“The old bridge might not meet highway standards.”