Plans to improve a key Ipswich junction have been unveiled after a seven-figure bid was made to the Government.
Suffolk County Council has lodged a £5million request with the Department for Transport’s Pinch Point Fund – a Government pot formed in 2018 to address congestion hotspots.
That bid is for major improvements to the Nacton Road junction with the Ravenswood housing estate, the A1189 towards the A14 and the Ransomes Industrial Estate in Ipswich.
While a decision on that request has not yet been made, it would be bolstered by local funds.
A spokeswoman from Suffolk County Council said it was for a package of measures “which included bus priority measures in Ipswich, but also capacity improvements to the Thrasher roundabout at Nacton and the slip road onto the A14.
“The total funding requested was £5m, with a local contribution of £750,000.
“If successful, further consultation will be needed.”
Among the measures planned for that bid will be signalised pedestrian crossings and signals on some of the arms, as well as upgrades to the Havens roundabout, which is where the A14 onslip links.
However, detailed plans have not yet been drawn up.
It is not yet clear how much those measures would increase capacity by, or what happens to those plans if the bid is unsuccessful.
Ipswich MP Tom Hunt on Thursday urged the Department for Transport to look favourably on the proposals.
He said: “Over the summer I carried out a survey in Ravenswood and by far the number one issue was the access. In fact, there is only one access point at the Thrasher roundabout onto Nacton Road.”
He said: “It can be a game-changer in regards to this issue,” and added it would “make life better for Ravenswood residents who currently have to put up with unacceptable levels of congestion every day when they look to leave their community to go to work, drop off their kids, or whatever else it is.”
Transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “I know just how difficult the traffic is at Thrasher’s roundabout at Nacton Road,” and said a bid through the new Levelling Up Fund announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak during the Spending Review last month would be another appropriate avenue for financial support.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here