Petition launched over closure of A134 Sicklesmere Road as work takes place on Abbots Vale development
A petition has been launched objecting to the closure of the A134 Sicklesmere Road which connects Bury St Edmunds to Sudbury and the villages in between.
It’s come as work continues on the Hopkins Homes’ Abbots Vale development opposite Nowton Park and measures have been put in place to prevent “rat runs” due to the A134 closing for eight weekends.
The petition has been set up on the change.org website at https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-a134-hopkins-homes-road-closure?recruited_by_id=7766dd20-e9e4-11ef-85e5-fd60b8ce6d7a&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf&utm_medium=nextdoor pointing out that the closure would severely impact on people living in the villages and communities either side of the busy road.
Throughout the week the road will remain open with temporary traffic lights in place but it will close on weekends starting on Friday, February 21.
The closures will be in place from 8pm on Friday and 5am on Monday up until Monday, May 5 as the developer installs a roundabout as part of its work at Abbots Vale estate and accompanying a relief road towards the A14.
In addition to the restrictions on the A134, Rushbrooke Lane and Low Green (on the southern edge of Nowton Park) will become “no through roads” and will only be accessible to residents.
A diversion is to be put in place adding 40 miles to the journey between Bury St Edmunds and Sudbury taking vehicles between the two towns via Haverhill on the A143 (see map above).
Hopkins Homes said feedback from a public engagement session on February 5 and further talks with partners including Suffolk Highways have led to a change in traffic management plans – to prevent two roads becoming “rat-runs”.
This is a ridiculous arrangement. All the time the developers have had to consider this and this is the best idea they come up with. Sounds like the easiest and cheapest option to me, with greatest inconvenience to the road users and everyone who lives south of these works. What provision has been made for emergency vehicles access both ways, Do not think they would appreciate diversions which will add several minutes to callouts
this should not take legs. the recent works on the a14 left the local villages roads with unrepeatable side damage… the only thing they were interested in was putting speed cameras up so making g money o. top of the misery
keep the road open with traffic management. youf problem you pay for the additional manpower.
Hopkins homes should be served with a massive environmental damages fine due to the additional pollution caused by thousands of vehicles that will now have to use the 43 miles diversion because of their closure of the A134 to Bury St Edmunds over eight weekends till 05th April 2025. Let’s hit Hopkins Homes in the pocket.
Additionally no wants this development as it will seriously impact on an already busy and over populated area. The Abbots Vale Development should be shut down.