On 15th January, faced with fresh chaos on the A14, we were again reminded that Suffolk’s fragile infrastructure system and its repeated traffic problems are bad for local residents, and bad for businesses, both locally and nationally.
Towards the end of last year, when the Orwell Bridge was partially closed, I asked Suffolk County Council to postpone all non-essential roadworks in the town centre to alleviate some of the enormous burden on our town’s road network.
I have also repeatedly pushed Suffolk County Council to reinstate the Ipswich Transportation Taskforce. I hope, this time, it will be centred around delivery and action, and I expect to have the first meeting in the near future.
While there is no silver bullet for all of these transport issues, it cannot become an excuse to ignore the problem altogether. Every option, including, but not limited to, a potential Northern Bypass, must be seriously considered.
Since my election, I have met a number of government ministers to discuss Ipswich and Suffolk’s need for infrastructure investment, including in our roads network, and in the Ely/Haughley rail junction. I will continue to work with local and national stakeholders to address these problems, which cannot keep grinding our town and the surrounding area to a halt.
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