Council to spend £1.35 on plan for congestion-ridden junction
A meeting was held
Council leaders have agreed to spend £1.35 million on a business plan to address problems at a congestion-ridden junction.
Suffolk County Council hopes the investment, agreed unanimously by cabinet members today, will improve traffic flow through the A140 junction with the A1120 in Earl Stonham.
The money will be spent on preparing a business case for submission to the Department for Transport (DfT) by the end of March next year.
Cllr Christopher Hudson, the lead for transport and highways, said the plan ‘will support regional traffic, economic activity and key sectors’ within the county.
The A140, which serves as the main route between the A14 at Needham Market and Norwich, faces significant congestion at the junction during peak times.
The plan will look at moving A1120 traffic away from their homes and into a new link road in the open countryside.
Further walking, cycling and bus infrastructure improvements will also feature in the business case.
It is estimated the project’s price tag could total around £6.4 million, with the Government expected to take on most of the bill.
Doing nothing, Cllr Hudson said, would only exacerbate congestion, safety and environmental issues in the area.
“We want to improve the reliability, and we want to satisfy people for their existing journeys, which are becoming increasingly difficult, particularly at this junction,” he added.
Pushed by opposition councillors on whether any investment would be made to the junction in the meantime, officers said there were no plans outside normal maintenance.
Cllr Matthew Hicks, whose Thredling division is directly affected by the problematic junction, called for clearer detail around the project’s timeline, the options being considered and compensation for residents.
“People should not be left facing years of uncertainty about the future of their homes and communities,” he said.
According to council papers, construction of a new route could start in the summer of 2028, ahead of opening to the public by spring 2029.
It is unclear when a preferred route and start date for a consultation will be revealed.