An improved A120 will open up jobs and the economy for Suffolk as well as Essex, campaign states.
That was the message at a business breakfast hosted by South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge held at the Stoke-by-Nayland Golf Club yesterday.
Organised by the Haven Gateway Partnership, the event brought together Suffolk and north Essex businesses and councillors to promote the partnership’s campaign to see the road made a dual carriageway for its entire length from Braintree to the A12 at Marks Tey.
Mr Cartlidge told the meeting about a constituent ‘Mark’ from Great Waldingfield who had a wife who cared for two children and who was on the national living wage, but wanted to improve his family’s situation by working at Stansted Airport.
“He went to a jobs fair and we are waiting to see the result of that, but it will take close to an hour to get there,” Mr Cartlidge said.
“A Sudbury bypass would be wonderful, but that gets you to the trouble spots on the A120 even quicker. This is why it’s about joined up thinking.”
He added: “We have got to be ready because there will come a time when the government will say ‘have you got any schemes?’.
“I want people like Mark to get to Stansted Airport in half an hour.”
Essex County Council is currently running a route appraisal and feasibility study, and is due to reveal preferred route options and launch a consultation on them in January.
Yesterday’s meeting promoted “cross boundary working” on the scheme.
Other speakers included James Finch, Suffolk county councillor for transport, and Babergh District Council leader Jennie Jenkins, as well as Essex county councillor for infrastructure Kevin Bentley.
Mr Finch said work also needed to be done to see where traffic might go if the project was completed, and be “a step head” of other changes along the wider route that might be needed.
He also said other modes of transport, in particular rail, also needed to be developed and called for support for Abellio’s plans in the new Anglia rail franchise.
Published by the EADT.