FEELINGS are running high in a Suffolk village where a £50,000 traffic calming scheme has created a controversy that threatens to split the residents.Villagers in Eyke, near Woodbridge, are threatening to start a petition to call for some of the scheme to be dismantled.

FEELINGS are running high in a Suffolk village where a £50,000 traffic calming scheme has created a controversy that threatens to split the residents.

Villagers in Eyke, near Woodbridge, are threatening to start a petition to call for some of the scheme to be dismantled.

But supporters of the new measures, which include safety bollards in the middle of the road by the primary school, say that the A1152 is now a safer road.

Suffolk County Council has visited the site to discuss teething problems with the newly-laid scheme, including damage to a bollard, and officers will address issues raised with Babtie, the project designers.

Eyke Concern, a campaign group of residents living in The Street, said: ''The traffic calming is slowing the traffic down and is providing a safer environment for 200 primary school children to be delivered and collected safely from our school, also for the resident children and families to safely walk, cycle or drive within the village.

''In the past many people have been petrified when these huge HGV's and agricultural vehicles of up to 4.3 metres have, seemingly, hurtled through the village, causing pedestrians to scuttle into gateways.''

Eyke Concern says nearly 14,000 vehicles travel through Eyke daily. The traffic calming was financed by Seebrook Holdings, part owners of the Bentwaters air base, to cater for the predicted growth arising out of new developments at Bentwaters.

However, farmers have complained that the safety bollards prevent them taking wide agricultural machinery along the A1152.

Murray Phillips, of Iken, uses the road to take machinery to several farms. He said that drivers had to take a detour and they were using more fuel and more time to go to farms.

''This is a joke and we do not think agricultural needs were taken into account. The bollards will get broken without any question,'' said Mr Phillips.

Jason Vinyard, a 32-year-old landscaper living opposite the primary school, said: ''The scheme is total rubbish and it has not achieved anything. I can sit here on a Sunday evening and still see cars going at 60mph.''

Janis Davis, the village shopkeeper, said: ''There are a lot of people who are not happy about this. It has been a waste of money which could have been used for something sensible.

''I think that they should have put signs at either end saying there is a speed camera – that would do the job.''