Nothing says November more than wintery weather and dark nights and with this, the need to ensure our roads are up to scratch and accessible for motorists. Just yesterday I led, in my new role as Chair, a meeting of the No More A14 Delays in Suffolk campaign. The meeting brought together the campaigners led by Suffolk Chamber of Commerce with senior business leaders, Suffolk County Council, Suffolk District and Borough Councils, Highways England, Greater Cambridgeshire and Greater Peterborough and New Anglia LEPs and local stakeholders. Together, the session looked at driving forward improved travel along Suffolk’s A14.
Already, the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon is scheduled for between £1.2 and £1.8 billion of improvements, a welcome investment due to commence in March 2017. Yet, despite this investment, it is the campaign’s aim to ensure further improvements along the rest of the A14 remain in the spotlight.
The A14 is vital for businesses, particularly the Port of Felixstowe, the UK’s largest container port; handling 40% of all UK container trade and providing jobs to 10% of Suffolk’s workforce. Up to 70% of the cargo going through the port uses the A14. It is imperative it can sustain freight and commuter transport in order to grow not only Suffolk’s economy, but service other regional economies, such as the Northern Powerhouse and indeed the economy of the UK.
Whilst the A14 is referred to as the ‘lifeblood’ of the Eastern economy, running through the heart of the region, the vitality is more than just about boosting freight business. For instance, my own Bury St Edmunds constituency has a twenty mile stretch between Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket servicing business, tourism and leisure. However, several of the A14 intersections in St Edmundsbury, are nearing capacity at peak times and there are regular tailbacks and traffic jams getting in and around the town. I know from my own experience, delays on the A14 can make a 15 minute car ride from Bury St Edmunds to Stowmarket, a two hour journey. UK congestion costs the country £2 billion a year and, if left unchecked, will put greater strain on the national economy. That is why it is vital we relieve the pressure on the already congested A14 and consider innovative measures such as, perhaps, regular laybys or creating a hard shoulder, to help the flow of traffic.
Yet the real difference isn’t just going to come from money saved. Instead, it is going to come from the quality of vehicle usage in and around Suffolk for those who need it the most. Whether it is to drop the children off at school or making an afternoon meeting in Ipswich, the real value of an improved road network will be for local people. An improved road infrastructure has the potential to deliver a more inclusive and balanced community; providing housing, employment, retail and local services. That is why I want to hear from you about your experiences, in order to make it easier to get from A to B. Contact me at [email protected]
Published in the East Anglian Daily Times