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Page Created 12th Nov 2009 Wherefore
art thou Castle Point?
Within the last month
or so a new sign has appeared on the A127. It is to be found when leaving the borough of Southend-on-Sea heading towards London,
on the left-hand side. This side reads “Welcome to RAYLEIGH”, and is headed
“Rochford DISTRICT COUNCIL”.
The sign is wrong. The A127 from the Southend
boundary up to the A130 is split between Castle Point and Rochford. The left hand side (heading westwards) belongs to Castle
Point, being shared by Daws Heath and Thundersley.
 There are homes along
here, the first within yards of the sign. Parliamentary
candidate, Julian Ware-Lane, is a regular user of this stretch of road. “When I first saw this sign I thought I had
imagined it. It is a confusing sign, and distracting because of that.” “Any local person will tell you where
Rayleigh actually is – someone in Rochford District Council has made a silly error here.” Julian Ware-Lane believes there is
an identity crisis in Castle Point. “The joining of Benfleet and Canvey some thirty-five years ago is still an uneasy
marriage in some quarters.” Castle Point has very few signs declaring its existence, and appears on few maps. Julian said “I have never thought
the name very satisfactory. Outside of Essex very few people know of it, yet many know of Canvey and Benfleet.” “The idea
of Castle Point as an entity could do with a bit of salesmanship. The borough is twinned with three towns and counties, yet
there is little to indicate this”. “The misplacing of the Rayleigh sign is not a big issue, but it does add to the impression
that Castle Point is struggling to make itself known.”
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