A SUFFOLK MP has demanded urgent answers after it emerged a stretch of the A14 is sinking - following a £12million improvement project that was delivered late and over-budget.

A SUFFOLK MP has demanded urgent answers after it emerged a stretch of the A14 is sinking - following a £12million improvement project that was delivered late and over-budget.

The Rookery Crossroads near Bury St Edmunds is used by more than 40,000 drivers every day and was only opened in 2006.

Earlier this month it was revealed the stretch of carriageway was subsiding and now MP David Ruffley is demanding action from the Highways Agency, which is responsible for the up-keep of the road.

Mr Ruffley, who represents the Stowmarket and Bury St Edmunds areas, wants to know how the problems have been caused, who was responsible and how much tax-payer cash would be needed to put them right.

Mr Ruffley said: “Quite frankly it is disgraceful that an improvement scheme that was delivered late and over budget is still causing us problems over two years after it was completed. This is the second time the road has needed repairs in the same area for seemingly the same reason.”

Mr Ruffley said he would be writing to the chief executive of the Highways Agency to find out what had gone wrong with the road improvements.

A Highways Agency spokesperson said: “A small area of subsidence recently occurred on the A14 at the site of a drainage culvert that crosses the carriageway. Until further investigations are complete we will not know the cause of the settlement of the carriageway.

“In the meantime we are carrying out initial repair work to provide a level running surface for road users. During this work we will also core into the carriageway surface to investigate the cause.

“Since the subsidence occurred we have been carrying out daily checks to ensure that any depression is filled up as soon as possible.

“The Highways Agency fully met its target for 2007-08 to maintain the network and keep it in a safe and serviceable condition.”