A LONG-promised by-pass for four villages in Suffolk could be given the go-ahead as a condition of building new nuclear power stations at Sizewell.High level preliminary talks have been held between British Energy's chief executive Bill Coley and the county council to look at the implications for, and effects on, Suffolk if plans for one or more nuclear plants at Sizewell are given the go-ahead.

A LONG-promised by-pass for four villages in Suffolk could be given the go-ahead as a condition of building new nuclear power stations at Sizewell.

High level preliminary talks have been held between British Energy's chief executive Bill Coley and the county council to look at the implications for, and effects on, Suffolk if plans for one or more nuclear plants at Sizewell are given the go-ahead.

The route of the A12 by-pass for Farnham, Stratford St Andrew, Marlesford and Little Glenham was approved by the previous Conservative government, but construction was pulled at the last minute after a rethink on transportation strategy.

The county council took over responsibility for the A12 when the Department of Transport detrunked the road six years' ago, and the project remains in Suffolk's wish list of priority schemes and if given the go-ahead, building will not start for a number of years.

Guy McGregor, the council's portfolio holder for transportation said: “It would be absolute madness not to build the roads. Suffolk has suffered from the poverty of the council's aspiration at the time of the Sizewell B public inquiry and that must not happen again.”

He added he will also be pushing for major improvements to the single track East Suffolk rail line and for passenger services to run again on the Saxmundham to Leiston route.