Council to spend £1.35m on plan for A140 junction

Council leaders have agreed to spend £1.35m on a business plan to ease traffic problems at a congestion-ridden junction.

Suffolk County Council will use the money to prepare a case for the Department for Transport (DfT) for improvements at the A140's junction with the A1120 in Earl Stonham, about 10 miles north of Ipswich.

The plan could be sent to the DfT by the end of March 2027.

Christopher Hudson, a Reform UK councillor responsible for transport and highways, said the council wanted to "improve reliability" of journeys which were "becoming increasingly difficult, particularly at this junction".

The council's cabinet approved the investment in the business plan during a meeting on 16 June.

The A140 is a main route in Suffolk and Norfolk linking the A14 near Ipswich to Norwich and the north Norfolk coast.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the plan would look to move traffic from the A1120 to a new countryside link road.

Walking, cycling and bus improvements would also feature.

It is estimated the project's price tag could be about £6.4m, with most of the money coming from government.

Hudson said doing nothing would only exacerbate congestion, safety and environmental issues.

Opposition councillors asked whether any investment in the junction would take place in the meantime.

Matthew Hicks, a Conservative councillor, has called for clearer detail around the project's timeline, the options being considered and compensation for residents.

He said: "This junction has been a problem for many years and has been on Suffolk County Council's radar for a long time.

"Most importantly, people should not be left facing years of uncertainty about the future of their homes and communities."

Joe Mason, a Conservative spokesman for highways, transport, strategy and property, said he was not convinced the scheme alone would deliver the improvements.

He said: "We must also take the opportunity to address longstanding speeding concerns, including through improved road markings and the reinstatement of a speed camera."

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