Roger Harding, chairman of The Stover Canal Trust, of Southey Avenue, Kingskerswell, writes:
It was the Romans, in about 50AD, who really established this road so they could get to the hill fort at Milber at all states of the tide as the ford at what is now Passage House was only crossable at the lowest tide.
This road or causeway was built by laying a mat of branches on top of the soft ground then over laying that with rubble till a firm base was formed on which a stone road surface could be laid, where water courses crossed the road these would be bridged using larger flat stones.?From this grew the causeway as we see it today.
The Stover Canal Society, in 1999, questioned Devon County Council regarding the weight limit for this road as they had found that, when inspecting the canal bridge, that there had been major cracks on the underside of the arch which had been filled in with segments of brick and mortar and the historic causeway was showing signs of considerable stress-failure at many points.
The society's concerns at this time were also made to the two clay companies operating in the area who, in the light of this information, instructed their drivers not to use this route.
After further research, it was found that there was a weight limit marker on the bridge for six tons, which was changed in about 1943 by the Army to eight tons.
Both the society and the Stover Canal Trust have repeatedly asked Devon County to inspect and limit the weight of vehicles crossing this causeway and the canal bridge, but still, today, lorries loaded with timber from all parts of the south west cross this historic road and deposit their loads in the Teignbridge siding to be transported out of the area by train every week.
Devon County Council should, at the next sitting of the council, restrict its use to only light vehicles and motor cycles between the Teigngrace turnoff and the entrance to Sibelco, issue instructions to make a full examination of the whole structure and seek advice on the best method to stabilise the structure not to mess around with just a 29m section.MORE LETTERS IN OUR DIGITAL EDITION