Road closure 'chaos' for residents during fibre works
Residents of Ipswich have been left frustrated by road closures causing 'chaos' this month. Pictured: Fountains Road. - Credit: Danielle Booden
Diversions in a residential area have been labelled as causing "chaos" for residents.
Much of Belstead Road has been closed since June 6, as works are carried out by CityFibre workers installing a full fibre network.
One resident of Prittlewell Close, who asked not to be named, described her frustration at the works and that plans had not been "very well thought out".
She said: “The diversion signs send you down Belstead Road to Balmoral Close, and then you have to turn around again. It’s quite unsafe, there are no traffic lights.
“It’s just chaos.”
A spokesperson for CityFibre said: “We want to assure residents that we do all we can to manage disruption and complete our essential infrastructure works as quickly as possible.”
One resident said they had been having to wait for workers to remove cones before they could enter or leave their road. - Credit: Contributed
Roadworks on Fountains Road in Ipswich. Picture: - Credit: Danielle Booden
The resident added that she had on occassion forced to park half a mile from her home and walk on one occasion, as road closures meant she had not been able to reach her house.
Most Read
- 1 Police cordon in place outside former Grimwades store in Ipswich
- 2 Teenager sexually assaulted and then robbed in Ipswich
- 3 Travellers pitch up in one of Ipswich's busiest parks
- 4 Two knives found in Ipswich park after six teenagers arrested
- 5 One of the world's largest container ships arrives at Port of Felixstowe
- 6 10-acre field fire breaks out in south Suffolk village
- 7 Couple get engaged after abseiling down Ipswich Hospital block
- 8 Open air theatre coming to Ipswich park later this month
- 9 Mobile phone and laptop stolen in spate of thefts from cars near Ipswich
- 10 Teenager’s 10 year sentence is warning over ‘horrendous’ acid attacks
She said: “That shouldn’t be the case. It hasn’t been very well thought out.
“You have to go all the way around Stoke Park Drive, and then find there are three more road closed signs and a van. They’ve put a line of cones in the road, and you just have to wait for the men move the cones and let you in.”
Roadworks on Fountains Road in Ipswich. - Credit: Danielle Booden
Roadworks on Fountains Road in Ipswich. - Credit: Danielle Booden
The roads have been closed while CityFibre workers install full fibre network. - Credit: Danielle Booden
Other residents have expressed frustration with CityFibre, with one Belstead Avenue resident discovering that construction waste had been left behind after works were completed in his road the week before.
He has since been contacted by CityFibre, who have now removed the waste, which included open bags of cement.
The spokesperson for CityFibre continued: “As we install the best available full fibre beneath the pavements on Belstead Road and Fountains Road, we are required to enforce road closures in line with health and safety protocols.
“However, our team is always happy to move barriers for resident access when asked, and the works are on track for completion by the end of the week.
“CityFibre is investing £30m to deliver a town-wide full fibre network that will future-proof Ipswich’s digital connectivity for decades to come. All members of our build team are given full training before they carry out any works to ensure the highest standards are maintained throughout the digital transformation project.”
Works are scheduled to be completed by Friday, July 1.
