Business leaders across Ipswich have viewed the 2013 Budget as a mixed bag for firms with some welcome positive announcements but leaving many with a feeling of more needing to be done.

There is no doubt we are in challenging times and businesses across Ipswich are working harder than ever.

The Prime Minister was right when he took office and said business would be the driver of economic recovery across the UK. Firms across our town don’t expect a handout from the coalition but they have continued to call for a hand-up to make operating fairer.

And so to the recent Budget, the third of the current government in the midst of low growth and with the real threat of a triple dip recession following the downgrading of the AAA credit rating needed to deliver for business.

Retailers, service industries and many others will of course welcome the announcement of the new Employment Allowance and the reduction of corporation tax which over the medium to long term will start to make a difference.

The hauliers and logistic firms based in greater Ipswich will also see the cancelling of the fuel duty rise in September the right thing to do as they continue to play their part in making our town and county a good place to do business.

It is those hauliers and transport focussed firms that have shared a sense of continued disappointment at other measures that promise jam tomorrow on problems that need attention today.

Businesses across Ipswich and further afield in our county have continually called for urgent action on the A14.

The problems on our main arterial route grow and grow and require action.

The extra £3billion for infrastructure projects announced by George Osborne was welcome but knowing that this funding, if even coming to the A14, will not be available until 2015 at the earliest is not good enough.