KESGRAVE residents are pushing for a third exit to be built on Grange Farm to help solve horrendous traffic problems.There are just two exits to leave the Grange Farm development, and with thousands of people leaving for work or school at the same time in the morning, they are forced to join a huge queue of traffic.

KESGRAVE residents are pushing for a third exit to be built on Grange Farm to help solve horrendous traffic problems.

There are just two exits to leave the Grange Farm development, and with thousands of people leaving for work or school at the same time in the morning, they are forced to join a huge queue of traffic.

It has been suggested that a third exit could lead from Millennium Way, along the bridle path and onto Dobbs Lane, thereby avoiding heavy jams on Main Road.

Although Kesgrave Town Council insists the situation has improved since the timings were changed on the set of traffic lights on Ropes Drive West and Bell Lane, many residents say the problem is as bad as ever.

Some have contacted the council with their concerns claiming they are often very late for work because of the queues and they believe a third exit would ease up the congestion, which has steadily increased as the development has become larger.

In February this year Suffolk County Council changed the timings on the lights in a bid to improve the flow of traffic.

Chairman of Kesgrave Residents David Walker said: “We don't think it has been any better since the lights were changed but only time will tell.

“We would like to put in this other exit - that would be the ideal, however the amount needed is the sort of money that takes up huge percentages of the budget. This is a major issue for the residents around here.”

His wife, Donna, added: “It has been horrendous around here. When we drove the car out recently, we did not know whether to turn left or right as traffic was backed up both ends.”

There is an average of two cars per household in the heavily populated residential area, comprising around 3000 houses. Over the next few years, this is set to increase to 5,000.

Kesgrave Town Council clerk Veronica Read said: “We have taken the opportunity to monitor the queue and it has got considerably less in length. It does make a big difference.”

A Suffolk County Council spokesman said: “We are pleased to hear the town council are supportive of our work at Grange Farm and we will continue to review the traffic movement and look for further improvements.”

What do you think? Do you suffer from similar traffic problems? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.

Grange Farm is the fastest expansion Kesgrave has seen. The development of the 378 acre farmland started in 1988.

When completed, the total housing will be over 5000 with a population of 13,000, making Kesgrave larger than Woodbridge and Melton combined.

In 1994 there was a public enquiry about the development and plans for a bypass to be built were rejected. Instead two roundabouts with traffic lights were constructed to ease the traffic flow.

A primary school for 220 pupils opened in September 2001 and additional shopping facilities and other services were also put in place.