James Cartlidge met with Sproughton residents, who expressed concerns over road chaos in the village. Picture: Suffolk Police (62130162)
Speeding, accidents on major routes, and lack of parking were just some of the issues raised as an MP met with village residents.
James Cartlidge, MP for South Suffolk, spoke to people from Sproughton, near Ipswich, last week, where they expressed concerns over traffic and road chaos in the area.
Lying near the main road leading to Sudbury and Hadleigh, the two major routes that run through the village, the B1113 and Sproughton Road, see heavy traffic despite being very narrow.
This is only made worse after accidents on the A12 or A14.
Residents raised alarms that motorists would often speed through the village, which can make being a pedestrian dangerous, police said.
They also alleged that drivers would often mount curbs to get around cars if there was not enough space for two vehicles to pass.
Many have also experienced abuse at the hands of motorists, they added, because drivers 'don't understand who has to give way'.
A spokesperson for Ipswich Police, who also attended the meeting, said a particularly prescient issue was congestion build-up following accidents on the A14 and A12.
Accidents happen on either of the two major routes regularly.
The spokesperson added this could cause traffic to build up in the area as motorists look for diversions around the chaos.
Finally, residents raised concerns over a lack of available parking in the village.
Sproughton lies at the intersection of major routes, which means street parking can become very difficult.
James Cartlidge said: “I strongly support the important role that volunteers play in our communities, with speed-watch being a particularly important one, and I salute those who give up their time to try and make a difference to local road safety.
"Whilst high volumes of traffic and speeding are of great concern to many of my rural parishes, Sproughton faces particular pressure due to its proximity to Ipswich and the A14.
"I found it very informative to spend time with Sproughton speed-watch, and in particular, to witness at first hand some of the stresses and strains the community is experiencing as a result of traffic-related issues.
"I am looking forward to discussing the situation in Sproughton with Suffolk Highways in the near future, to see what steps could be considered to assist.”
Published by Suffolk News.
