North Ipswich to get same lorry protection as south

Suffolk County Council says it will introduce a traffic regulation order imposing a 7.5-tonne weight restriction on heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) using residential roads to the north of the A1214, closing a gap that has left those streets vulnerable to lorries using them as cut-through routes.

Why it matters: The A1214 runs across north Ipswich, connecting the A14 to the west at Copdock and via the A1156 at Whitton, and the A12 to the east at Martlesham. Streets south of this corridor already benefit from HGV restrictions – but those to the north have until now been left without the same protection. As freight traffic has continued to increase, the council says those unprotected streets have become increasingly vulnerable to larger vehicles using them as shortcuts.

The details: The new restriction would apply to residential streets north of the Colchester Road and Valley Road corridor, including:

• Chelsworth Avenue and Bromswell Road
• Lower Road and Church Road in Westerfield
• Westerfield Lane, linking Tuddenham to Westerfield
• Sidegate Lane, Humber Doucy Lane and the Renfrew Road housing estate
• The Street in Rushmere village, and Rushmere Road, Ipswich

Roads within the Colchester Road and Valley Road corridor already operate under a 7.5-tonne restriction, as do streets within the Crofts and Dales neighbourhood off Norwich Road. The new order, the council says, would help close the remaining gaps so that all residential communities in Ipswich receive the same level of protection.

What they're saying: Councillor Paul West, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member for Ipswich and Operational Highways, said: "It is important that HGV traffic is able to move as freely as possible, but it needs to be on appropriate roads away from residential areas.

"Henley Road, Westerfield Road and Tuddenham Road would remain available to HGVs, ensuring that freight traffic can continue to travel efficiently."

What's next: The scheme will be funded by the Local Transport Plan. Work will now begin on detailed design and programming, with implementation expected later this year.

The bottom line: North Ipswich residents are set to gain the same protection from lorry through-traffic that much of the rest of the town has long enjoyed, with the council moving to close a longstanding gap in its HGV restriction zone.

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