Residents fear they will be put through more months of "misery" as temporary traffic lights continue to plague a village in Suffolk.

Three-way temporary lights have been installed on the B1078 at Otley Bottom, near Needham Market, and have been in place since November following Storm Babet, when the River Lark in the village burst its banks, causing concern around the stability of the roadside embankment.

Since then, villagers say there have been no roadworks or repairs taking place, which is a familiar story for residents.

Temporary lights have previously plagued the B1078 for more than a year in 2021 and 2022, leaving residents concerned for further months-long delays and disruption. 

Otley parish councillor and resident Martin Hunt said: "The villagers just think here we go again. It's very frustrating.

"It causes a gridlock of traffic on the narrow part of the junction, as cars do not realise they have to allow for lorries coming the other direction.

"Another situation is that Mow Hill in Witnesham is currently closed for ten days, and the official, signposted diversion takes the traffic down through our traffic lights, and now there are temporary lights on Henley Road.

"Highways have partially blocked two routes from the north into Ipswich."

Dan Poulter, Member of Parliament for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, added that four months of inactivity is "unacceptable".

"It is time for highways to repair the embankment and improve the road drainage in the area to help prevent future problems in this known local flood hotspot,” the MP said.

A spokesperson from Suffolk Highways at Suffolk County Council said: "We are sorry for the disruption caused by the traffic management in place on B1078 Otley Bottom, however this is essential for the safety of road users.

"Due to the severity of the collapse here, a simple repair won't suffice and a full investigation, design, and plan for reconstruction of the road needs to be undertaken before the traffic lights can be removed.

"Suffolk Highways continues to progress the repairs as a priority and will continue to look for opportunities to complete the works sooner."