ANGER has erupted in a picture postcard village over the fall out from a major project to improve the A14 at Haughley Bends.Villagers at Haughley are furious the improvements could leave them suffering from light pollution and extra noise.

ANGER has erupted in a picture postcard village over the fall out from a major project to improve the A14 at Haughley Bends.

Villagers at Haughley are furious the improvements could leave them suffering from light pollution and extra noise.

Councillors are thrilled that work is being undertaken to improve the stretch of road which has claimed lives, but are disappointed the route they preferred has not been given top priority in a public consultation exercise.

The Highways Agency will propose two possible routes to improve safety on the stretch of road to the public next week, but the one the parish council favoured would have seen the new interchange, flyover and roundabouts much nearer Stowmarket.

The agency wants to realign the A14 to remove the bends and replace existing sub-standard junctions and accesses with a new two-level junction. The agency says the public consultation will help them develop a scheme which will create a safer road for motorists.

The three routes are as follows:

N The red route, following the line of the existing A14, would see the interchange midway between the Quarries Cross junction and Fishponds Way;

N The blue route, which does not follow the line of the existing A14, would see the interchange built on open land near the Harleston picnic site.

N And the parish council's preferred site which is past the Tot Hill junction and near the turning to Stowmarket itself.

Lord of the manor for Haughley, and a parish councillor, Jeffrey Bowden said: "Why spoil the countryside? Most of the light pollution at the moment is centered around Stowmarket, obviously, and with this interchange there will be lots of lights and it makes sense to keep the light pollution together.

"Surely Government has a moral obligation to think about people's quality of life.''

Mike Pirrie, parish council chairman, said: "We are hopeful the agency will change their minds through people power. We want the road improved, but with these plans there's going to be an orange glow around the village.''

He said that although the

A spokeswoman for the Highways Agency said the public consultations to be held next week will be an opportunity for people to hear about the plans, the reasons for them, and why other options were not included.

She said a flyover was not being put in close to Stowmarket, which would involve a long link road, was rejected for reasons including environmental issues.

N The plans for the A14 Haughley bends will be on show at the Ron Crascall Pavilion in Green Road, Haughley next week, from 11am to 8pm on Friday and 10am to 5pm on Saturday.