A 43-mile diversion angers villagers near Bury St Edmunds. Closures for roundabout work cause worry about traffic and delays.
People south of Bury St Edmunds are worried. They think roads will become shortcuts, including Great Whelnetham. Other places impacted are Stanningfield, and Rougham. An online petition asks for a review and aims to stop the diversion plan.
Sicklesmere Road will close for eight weekends. Hopkins Homes planned the closures for the A134 Sicklesmere Road. This happens between February 17 and May 5. Traffic lights will manage the road on weekdays.
The road closure helps build a roundabout. It’s part of the Abbots Vale estate. Suffolk County Council approved the plan.
The diversion goes far. It runs from south of Bury to Long Melford, then through Clare and Haverhill. After that, it loops back.
Peter Royce spoke about the frustration. He chairs two parish councils and thinks the plan lacks thought. Royce also thinks people won’t use the detour route.
He mentions 16,000 vehicles use the road at weekends. Businesses might lose trade. It will impact commutes and emergency vehicles.
Some suggest postponing the project. They want better planning to reduce the negative impact. People feel isolated from Bury, and they may use unsuitable rural roads.
Hopkins Homes and the council changed plans. Rushbrooke Lane and Low Green now have access limits. Residents worried about shortcuts, which followed a community meeting.
Richard Rout is a county councillor. He felt they fought for limited access. Rout believes it should have been the initial plan.
Sara Mildmay-White is a district councillor. She says the council did not contact her, and she also fears traffic will worsen. People will seek shortcuts.
Nowton Road residents also have concerns. Henry Hopking leads Nowton’s parish council. He agrees with restricting traffic on some roads, but worries about emergency services. They might face delays in the villages.
Hopkins Homes stated the roadwork is crucial; it will improve safety for the Abbots Vale area. The developer claims they want to support locals and acknowledge the disruption. Traffic will be watched, and they will consider more actions if needed. Hopkins Homes says signs will show the detour.