Road safety scheme in doubt

SAFETY engineers may only carry out one scheme to cut accidents on a village main street after meeting residents who branded the project a waste of money.

The county council accident investigation department had planned to put in place measures at both the High Road-Faulkeners Way junctions in Trimley St Mary until villagers voiced their concern.

Parish councillors were not convinced that either of the projects at the mini roundabouts was necessary and felt the cash would be better spent on other schemes.

But after listening to safety engineer Peter Ingram they have decided to let one project – that for the junction nearest Trimley St Martin – progress to the detailed design stage.

Mr Ingram said that particular junction had been the scene of five injury accidents in less than four years – four of them involving cycles in collision with cars and the other a moped and a car.

"This junction does not have a very good record for cyclists and we have taken that into account in the scheme proposed," said Mr Ingram.

"We listen to what people have to say to us and we do take views on board, and we could progress work at this junction and then monitor it to see how effective it has been before we do anything to the other junction."

The county council is proposing to build raised platform areas in Faulkeners Way just before the roundabouts with the High Road to act as shared crossings for pedestrians and cyclists.

Footpaths leading from estate road onto High Road would also be shared for a short distance.

Parish councillors were concerned that cyclists were being encouraged to use pavements which were already busy with mums and pushchairs and that the proposal could cause accidents rather than reduce them.

At the junction nearest to Felixstowe there was also the added problem of cars parking on the paths to be shared.

Police officers turn a blind eye to the parking because there would be chaos if people parked on the road as it would narrow the street and cause a hazard.