Traffic chaos 'really, really bad' for town - MP

An MP has said consistent congestion on main roads could prove "really, really bad" for the local economy after motorists again endured hours of traffic chaos.

Drivers ground to a halt on Tuesday after a crash on the A14 near Newmarket and a lorry overturned on the A12 near Ipswich. On Wednesday four cars were involved in a crash on the A14.

Ipswich MP Jack Abbott told BBC Radio Suffolk: "I hate to say it but it feels like this is happening if not every day, then every other day, with incidents bringing Ipswich and the surrounding areas to a standstill."

A spokesperson for National Highways, which looks after major roads, said it worked hard "to keep the strategic road network moving".

Abbott, a Labour MP, said: "It's a joke to be honest and that is a sentiment that has been shared with me a number of times – this cannot go on and on, over and over again.

"Everybody knows accidents happen but the frustration for a lot of people is that nothing seems to change, yet we know about these issues."

His concerns came after the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce said it would be looking at how delays on the A14 impact business investment and job creation.

The report will also explore how a "do-nothing" approach to alleviating strain on the county's roads could have economic consequences.

While Abbott acknowledged there was "no magic wand" to prevent the county coming to a standstill when crashes happened, he said the impact was "bad for business".

"People want the town to be revived, but they do not bother going in if traffic is bad and so it is really, really bad for our local economy, as well as socially," he said.

"There's not one silver bullet which can change everything overnight but it's about chipping away, because we can't keep continuing the way we are."

A National Highways spokesperson said it would always "work hard to keep the strategic road network moving", which "supports economic growth and keeps people connected".

They added: "We understand the impact any reduction in capacity can have on the key routes serving Ipswich and the surrounding areas.

"Any work to maintain and improve the roads is carefully planned with partner organisations to keep disruption to a minimum.

"When collisions do occur we work closely with the emergency services and our contractors to ensure repairs are carried out as quickly as possible."

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