WORK is set to start on a scheme to ban traffic from three Felixstowe streets to stop them being used as rat runs to avoid a busy set of lights.Residents have become increasingly fed up with drivers nipping through their roads as a short cut to miss the traffic signals on Beach Station Road-Langer Road.

By Richard Cornwell

WORK is set to start on a scheme to ban traffic from three Felixstowe streets to stop them being used as rat runs to avoid a busy set of lights.

Residents have become increasingly fed up with drivers nipping through their roads as a short cut to miss the traffic signals on Beach Station Road-Langer Road.

They also claim that in summer and on Sundays when the seafront market is held they cannot park near their homes because of visitors using them and the roads are heavily congested.

Suffolk County Council has carried out extensive investigations into the residents' complaints – and has agreed to take action.

It has decided the best option is to make Nacton Road, Orford Road and Levington Road "residents only" streets.

Traffic calming measures will be put in place to ensure other drivers – except emergency services – do not use it as a cut-through in future.

The work is set to start this week and be completed by the end of the month.

Once it is done, no cars or other motor vehicles, except those visiting homes or land, will be allowed in the streets.

There will be no prohibitions on pedestrians or cyclists.

In its traffic order, the county council said the traffic calming and ban was needed because the affected roads were not meant to be used by all traffic and were mainly to provide access to houses.

"At present vehicles are using Orford Road and Nacton Road in order to avoid the traffic signals at the junction of Beach Station Road and Langer Road," said the council highways department.

"Also when the Sunday market is held off Sea Road visitors to the market are parking in the nearby residential roads making it difficult for residents to gain access to their properties."

The proposed ban on traffic is intended to resolve the problems by removing unnecessary vehicles.

Cars will still be able to gain access to the Dolphin pub car park in Nacton Road but not park on street, while access should be made easier for the ambulance station in Levington Road.

WEBLINK: www.suffolkcc.gov.uk